This month, February, NDVS’ theme encourages and challenges us to live more simply in order to restore right relationships between our Creator, humanity and creation.
Simplicity was very close to the heart of St. Julie and Françoise and to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. St. Julie often used the images of a sunflower(s) or sunflowers and crystal … She often spoke of being like the sunflower, turn always to God, and following the movements of the sun. And we should be purer than a crystal to reflect only the goodness of God in all we are and do.
“…Simplicity is like that beautiful flower, called the sunflower, which follows all the movements of the sun, and ever turns toward it.” – St. Julie Billiart
“A simple soul is an exceedingly pure crystal, penetrated, illumined, and warmed by rays of the Sun of Justice.” – St. Julie Billiart
Simplify your Life
Goal: Adopt a Simple Lifestyle (sobriety in the use of resources and energy, avoid single-use plastic, adopt a more plant-based diet and reduce meat consumption, greater use of public transport and avoid polluting modes of transportation, etc.) [ https://www.laudatosi.org/action/take-action/simplify-your-life/ ]
Videos:
Journey to a Simple, Sustainable Life (15:53)
[ https://youtu.be/X7tzLezgws8 ]
Life is Good sustainable living (39:00)
[ https://youtu.be/2fjy37Y04qQ ]
Laudato Si’ new communication styles
TOWARDS A NEW LIFESTYLE – Laudato Si’ pdf download
206. A change in lifestyle 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. They prove successful in changing the way businesses operate, forcing them to consider their environmental footprint and their patterns of production. When social pressure affects their earnings, businesses clearly have to find ways to produce differently. This shows us the great need for a sense of social responsibility on the part of consumers. “Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic – act”.[146] Today, in a word, “the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our lifestyle”.[147]
Excerpts from Laudato Si’ for Discussion in Class
Prepared by David E. DeCosse and Brian Patrick Green
(Santa Clara University/Makkula Center for Applied Ethics)
Blogs/websites to explore
How to live a simpler life Blogs/websites by Marie Anne Torres
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
[ https://slmedia.org/blog/9-simple-ways-to-live-laudato-si ]
Living Smaller with Laudato Si’
University of Notre Dame
[ https://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=17577 ]
Grandma taught me what it means to live out Laudato Si’
by Matt Naveau, August 23, 2021
[ https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/grandma-taught-me-what-it-means-live-out-laudato-si ]
