In “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home” — Pope Francis’ encyclical on creation — the section called “Justice Between the Generations” expresses an insight shared by many grandparents: “Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently.”
In grandfatherly fashion, the late Pope Francis continues to remind our global family that we must work together as a team, writing, “Intergenerational solidarity is not optional, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us.”
Within our communities, parishes, schools and families, we can see the positive work of intergenerational conversations and collaboration regularly. Youth absolutely learn from older generations, while also having many lessons they can share with us, the more life-experienced (some would say older) folks. We need to listen, learn and grow together.
Recently, our parish’s Care for Creation Team, composed of adults, wanted to add an idle-free zone at our school. The school’s Student Council Green Team was excited to join in the process.
During Earth Week last school year, the Green Team shared facts they had researched about the environment and health with adults in the carpool line, distributed paper fans with the parish team at carpool and visited classrooms to inform students of the importance of this new endeavor.
Working together allowed the small groups to bring their ideas and messages to much larger audiences and encourage others to join them.
This is one example of the change Pope Francis encourages. As he writes in “Laudato Si’,” “There is a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions, and it is wonderful how education can bring about real changes in lifestyle.”
He offers other suggestions for us to consider in his encyclical:
- A lifestyle change could bring healthy pressure to bear on those who wield political, economic, and social power. This is what consumer movements accomplish by boycotting certain products (paragraph 206).
- Begin the lessons at home and at school to help others grow in solidarity, responsibility, and compassionate care (paragraph 210).
- Avoid the use of plastic and paper, reduce water consumption, separate refuse, cook only what can reasonably be consumed, show care for other living beings, use public transport(ation) or carpooling, plant trees, turn off unnecessary lights, and reuse something instead of immediately discarding it (paragraph 211).
- Teach your family respect for life and our surroundings (paragraph 213).
Pope Francis continues with greater challenges and tasks — both in learning and doing, for individuals and for larger, organized groups — but in an effort to start small, I challenge us all to begin first in our own homes, classrooms and communities.
Consider: What conversations am I having? What acts of mine are worth sharing to create a positive ripple effect?
As part of the next Archdiocesan Care for Creation Network meeting on Aug. 20, I’ll be sharing resources for those interested in having informed intergenerational conversations based on ecological education. For more information, send an email to CreationCare@archlou.org.
Ashley Davenport is the director of student activities at Holy Trinity School.
