Laudato Si

INT FMA LAUDATO SI ANIMATION

2023-2024

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY

Basing itself on the tenet of Laudato Si “We listen to the cry of the poor and of the earth, in order to make courageous evangelical choices as networked educating communities in the perspective of integral ecology.” the INT FMA Laudato Si Animation began working with a specific aim ofTaking integral ecology as a dimension of life and the educational mission, according to Laudato Si.

It then clearly specified its objective, i.e.To become familiar with the Laudato Si’s Goals and be ready to adopt its action.

Having chosen “The Role of Educating Community Members in Safeguarding Our Mother Earth”as the theme for the year, the Province coordinator of Laudato Si Sr. Ayundukayam Arockia Malarjothi set out to familiarize all the members of the Educating Community members with the Laudato Si, its goals and to make them contribute their might towards safeguarding the Mother Earth through with
conviction and commitment.

The Coordinator further chalked up its action plan for the academic year. The Action plan is as follows:

  • Conducting animation programmes on Laudato Si Goals and Its Actions for the Educating Community Members in each Zone.
  • Celebrating the “Laudato Si week 2023” in all the sectors at the local level by transmitting the animation and implementing the action plan decided at the zonal level.
  • Celebrating the national and international days concerning conservation of nature, which concur with the goals and actions of the Laudato Si. For this, every month the list of such days, their details and posters regarding the significance of the day are sent to the members of the Educating Community through Whatsapp, to help them to celebrate those days and to initiate certain concrete actions in remembrance of those days.
  • Celebrating the “Season of the Creation 2023” from 1st September to 4th October 2023 Theme: “Let Justice and Peace Flow”

Building on this action plan the coordinator set out to animating the members of the Educating Community members in four zones. Sr. Ayundukayam Arockia Malarjothi the Province coordinator served as the resource person in presenting the Laudato Si’s goals in all the places. The details of the animation programmes are furnished here:

  1. The first animation was held at Mariyalaya, Tiruppur on the 1st of July. Sr. LourdhuSagayam delivered the inaugural address. Sr. Arockia Mary Selvi animated the group and helped them to chalk out the action plan. 5 sisters and 45 members participated in in the animation programme.
  2. The animation at Tuticorin was held at Therespuram on the 8th of July.Sr. Rosy Antony delivered the inaugural address. Sr. Arockia Mary Selvi animated the group to work out the action plan. 5 sisters and 48 members participated in in the animation programme.
  3. The animation at Madurai was held at Sirudhur on the 15th of July.Sr. Soosai Marian Pushpam delivered the inaugural address. Sr. Arockia Mary Selvi animated the group to finalize the action plan. 7 sisters and 48 members participated in the animation programme.
  4. The animation at Thanjavur was held at Regunathapuram on the 15th of July.Sr.Magnificat delivered the inaugural address. Sr. Arockia Mary Selvi animated the group to draw up the action plan. 15 sisters and 150 members participated in in the animation programme.
  5. The animation at Chennai was held at Thiruvotriyur on the 5th of August.SrRegina Antony delivered the inaugural address. And also animated the group to design the action plan. 5 sisters and 40 members participated in in the animation programme.
  6. In order to ensure that the commitment of the FMAs to achieve the goals of Laudato Si trickles down to the novices, our future torch bearers, animation was also extended to the novices. It was held at Manikandam on the 11th of July. Sr. Malar Jothi disseminated the goals of Laudato Si to the young novices. The response of the 13 novices was promising.

Positive aspects :
  • The Sisters and the members of the Educating Community took it upon themselves the duty of spreading the idea of Laudato Si and its goals to all the members of the Educating Communities of all our institution. It has reached the Students, Staff, Cooperators, Vides and the Young Vides. They have enthusiastically taken the idea and are working on implementing the action plan.
  • A Special animation was conducted for all the VIDES members of the province at Puliadithammam on the 15th of October by Sr.Jayarani, the province coordinator of VIDES. Sr.MalarJothi was the resource person. In that she pointed that she could tap the Government resources and the CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) as they belong to an organization. This was well accepted by the VIDES members
  • All the sectors, including the Mariyalaya and the novices have been reached to.
Some encouraging impacts:
  1. Auxilium College, Regunathapuram has installed a sign post explaining the goals of the Laudato Si. Many other institutions have gone out of their way to ensure that everybody is made aware of the goals of Laudato Si.
  2. The idea of plastic bricks has been well understood by the students and other members of the Educating Communities. Many are going in a great way to make use the discarded plastic bottles instead of allowing them to pollute the nature.
  3. The campuses have become non-degradable plastic free.
  4. Even ordinary people have realized the importance of separating the degradable and non- degradable garbage and have started practicing them
  5. Many cooperators, especially the women have started insisting on organic farming and the usage of organic fertilizers. Many of them have started turning to organic farming.
  6. Young Vides in Saveriarpuram, Tuticorinhave taken upon themselves the responsibility to water the saplings that have been planted by the Government.
  7. Many cooperators have made the “Kozhi koodu’, the henhouses
  8. Students have created kitchen gardens which are purely organic.
  9. Sisters conduct GREEN DAY in the schools and other institution with the intention of instilling the idea in the young minds.
Follow-up:

In order to keep the spirit of Laudato Si burning, the Animation team regularly sends reminders on the national and international days of importance based on nature through Whatsapp and they are promptly circulated among all by the sisters.