A Study of Laudato Si at Holy Cross Retreat Center (New Mexico)

By Odile Coirier, fmm

At Holy Cross Center in  Mesilla Park, NM, a group of people attended a Laudato Si Retreat led by Father Tom Smith and Rev Henry Atkins on May 20-22 to listen to Pope Francis’s message and “to develop new convictions, attitudes, and forms of life”(LS 202). A wake-up call to care for our common home.

The retreat coincided with Laudato Si Week, which is celebrated globally, to commemorate the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on creation care. This global celebration intends to unite Catholics to listen and respond together to the cry of creation, rejoice in the progress we have made in bringing Laudato Si’ to life, and intensify our efforts through the dynamic Laudato Si’ Action Platform, walking the “Synodal” path.

At Mesilla Park in southern New Mexico, participants reflected on the devastating heatwave affecting more than one billion people in South Asia last week and the fires in New Mexico that have destroyed more than 300,000 acres, torched hundreds of structures, and displaced thousands of people.

“Everywhere, we see the damaging consequences of human-induced climate change,” said retreat participants.