Inside the Core Focus on 'Laudato Si'

The University Core celebrates the beginning of spring of this, which coincides with Holy Week for Christians, culminating on Easter Sunday and also the feast of Passover for Jews. These feasts link with the rebirth seen all around in nature and the Core has launched a focused reading of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, the former Holy Father’s plea to all people of good will “to care for our common home,” the earth. Several events in the spirit of the this text are coming this season.

Mission Parters Josephine DeVito (Nursing and Core) and Thomas Seat (Core Fellow) are hosting, on behalf of the Core, the film The Letter, which tells of Pope Francis’ call to care for the earth. This film is part of the Core’s spring film series. It will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., April 9, in the Core Center, Mooney 339.

The Core is co-sponsor, with a project sponsored by the Center for Catholic Studies, entitled the Laudato Si Challenge: Interdisciplinary Solutions for Environmental Justice. Students have been encouraged to design, in working groups, “creative, research-based or applied solutions to today’s environmental challenges – grounded in Laudato Si and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition.” On Tuesday, April 21 (11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.) in the Core Center, Mooney 329 and on Wednesday, April 22 (12:30 to 3:15 p.m.) in Schwartz 114, student groups will present their projects. See the link from the CAST Center for more information.

Finally, the Core, Campus Ministry and the English Club are joining together to show Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, in connection with Pope Francis’ Laudato Si. The first half of the film will be screened at 6 p.m., on Wednesday, April 8, in the Core Center, Mooney 329, introduced by a faculty expert. The second half of the film will be screened at 6 p.m., on Wednesday, April 15, in Arts and Sciences 109, introduced by a student expert. Snacks will be provided on both occasions. Lord of the Rings is a serious text and film, presented here in connection with an important Core text, but viewing these segments of it (The Two Towers, parts I and II) will also be a time to enjoy the film and take a little time to unwind as the semester heads towards its close. Fun and reflection will merge for these screenings and discussions.

Please join the Core for any and all of these special events, linked to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si and the challenges of climate change, a call taken up by our current Holy Father Pope Leo (as Cardinal Tobin mentioned in his talk regarding “Pope Leo and the Legacy of Pope Francis” on March 18). As the Seton Hall community celebrates this season of renewal in nature and in faith, with the resurrection of Jesus celebrated this weekend and Passover beginning this week as well, these events at Seton Hall focused on nature are most fitting.

Categories: Faith and Service