Mission
Inspire & Ignite Blog

ECHOING THE CANTICLE OF BROTHER SUN AND SISTER MOON

Jimmy Tricco
Whether we are about to welcome incoming community members to New Raider Night or invite our seniors to create their Capstone projects, we focus our attention on Regis Jesuit’s mission and vision. The vision for all Jesuit schools is the profile of the Graduate at Graduation (Grad at Grad), five characteristics we desire for all of our students to possess when they cross the stage at graduation: Open to Growth, Intellectually Competent, Religious, Loving and Committed to Doing Justice.

In partnership with Pope Francis, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) called all of our apostolates to a deeper commitment to justice in the Universal Apostolic Preferences released last year. The four apostolic preferences include showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises, walking with the poor and outcasts whose dignity has been violated, accompanying young people in the creation of a hope-filled future and care for our common home, which is collaboration for the protection and renewal of God’s creation.
In partnership with Pope Francis, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) called all of our apostolates to a deeper commitment to justice in the Universal Apostolic Preferences released last year. The four apostolic preferences include showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises, walking with the poor and outcasts whose dignity has been violated, accompanying young people in the creation of a hope-filled future and care for our common home, which is collaboration for the protection and renewal of God’s creation.
 
Along with forming our students in the Grad at Grad, our Regis Jesuit community is called to animate these four Universal Apostolic Preferences. For example, our Kairos Retreat is rooted in the Spiritual Exercises, guiding students to know God more deeply. Our juniors and seniors contribute hours and hours of service walking with the poor and marginalized; we sent student delegations to the border and to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., among other trips. As a Jesuit school, we accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future by helping to prepare them academically, spiritually and in service to others.

During the Lenten season, we will focus our attention on the fourth apostolic preference, the care for our common home.

Quoting St. Francis of Assisi’s canticle in the title of his work, Pope Francis addressed every person on the planet in his encyclical Laudato Sí. He challenges us morally and spiritually when it comes to interior conversion and renewing our relationships with God, one another and the created world. Pope Francis emphasizes God’s creation of the world and entrusting it to us as a gift. Our responsibility is to care for and protect it and all people. Protecting human dignity is directly related to care for creation. He explained the importance of education when it comes to protecting our common home:

“Education in environmental responsibility can encourage ways of acting which directly and significantly affect the world around us, such as avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating refuse, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living beings, using public transport or car-pooling, planting trees, turning off unnecessary lights, or any number of other practices.” (Laudato Sí, #211)

The Regis Jesuit Environmental and Chemistry Clubs will be leading an awareness and action campaign during the 40 days of Lent to engage our community in Care for Our Common Home. Our efforts will include a waste audit on the Monday before Ash Wednesday, educational outreach, new signage for the landfill, compost and recycling bins on campus, prayer focused on care for creation, student- and faculty-led activities, and a second waste audit on the Tuesday following Easter, April 14.

Students will be challenged to consider how our impact on the environment affects the dignity and rights of people today and into the future. Our hope is to use this time of prayer, reflection, education and action to inspire a deeper commitment, both as a school community and individually, to caring for our planet.
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Jimmy Tricco is in his second year as principal of Regis Jesuit. He generally writes for Inspire & Ignite once a month. 
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