Chevalier Institute Webinar, Laudato Si. Care for our Common Home.
Alison McKenzie writes:
Last Thursday, the Chevalier Institute hosted a third Webinar entitled ‘Caring for our Common Home’. A conversation about how we can participate in shaping the future of the planet.
Our intention was to further develop the work we began with the second Webinar, exploring Laudato Si’ and its relevance to Spirituality of the Heart and its invitation to action. We were particularly interested in furthering our reach beyond those who already had some understanding of the implications of the encyclical into the world of students and young adults and their families. We hoped to offer wisdom from our Catholic tradition that would connect with the existing commitment to the environment amongst young people. The four MSC Colleges were invited to participate along with Heartworks and parishes and panel members. Students were prepared by being introduced to excerpts from the encyclical and an overview prepared by Jacqui Remond.
We constructed the Webinar so it would begin with input from Jacqui about Laudato Si’, followed by two responses from a Spirituality of the Heart perspective and then two responses from those with significant responsibility within the Chevalier Family. These were short and designed to educate and inform those who participated. The young people were invited to share their understanding of the encyclical with each other and the wider audience. They were passionate and articulate in their responses and their enthusiasm was infectious. Many responses from online participants reflected the viewpoint that the world and the church is in safe hands with young people such as these about to take their place as decision-makers.
Online participants included members of the General administrations of the three branches of the family and leaders in the lay movement internationally, Provincials and religious within Australia, Parish members across Australia, and staff, executive and parents from our Colleges.
A most significant outcome was the acceptance of the invitation by Mark McGinnity, as Director of MSC Education, to explore participation by our schools in a pilot project from the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Development. We hope a further outcome will be for our wider community, especially our young people, to see that our tradition has much wisdom and organizational capacity that is worth being connected to.
The Institute thanks all those involved either directly on the night or as participants and we encourage you to view the Webinar through the attached link if you missed it.
