Laudato Si - More Than Just a Phrase
October 07, 2025
On April 22, 2025, we had a ceremony to dedicate the Mission Outreach Laudato Si garden as part of our submission for the Laudato Si Action Platform. Pope Francis’ Laudato Si was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures” in which St. Francis praises God by meditating on the goodness of sun, wind, earth, water, and other natural forces (Laudato Si’ Movement). In the first chapter of Pope Francis’ encyclical, he speaks on the loss of biodiversity and how the “loss of forests and woodlands entails the loss of species which may constitute extremely important resources in the future, not only for food but also for curing disease and other uses” (you can find the full encyclical here). It is obvious by now how important pollinators and birds are for the environment, so that is why our garden includes native plants that support birds and pollinators, and it has been very successful since then. We had almost 40 caterpillars that made their home here, and at least 15 of them felt at home enough to form their chrysalis and hatch into monarch butterflies that swarm us every time we walk into the office! We are also surrounded by birds that love to sing (and sometimes screech) all day.
Something a colleague of mine said my second week working at Mission Outreach has stuck with me since. We were discussing the property on which Mission Outreach is located and how serene and green it is. He said the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis want to keep everything green because that’s what is natural. Our Franciscan Sisters are truly living out the Laudato Si mindset; care for the community, care for creation, and how these both mingle. It is so important for us to remember these in our daily work, especially at Mission Outreach as we try to be as sustainable as possible while also treating our neighbors in the Global South with dignity and respect. It is our job as stewards of the earth to care for our home and our communities. Without them, what do we have left?
Fast forward to October 3, 2025, we were able to have our very generously donated statue of St. Francis blessed by Father Gregory in our Laudato Si garden. This day could not have been more perfect as the Feast of St. Francis was the next day! We were joined by around 50 other guests including some of our Franciscan Sisters, volunteers, students from the San Damiano College for the Trades, and HSHS Leadership. It was very motivating seeing how many people came out for this event.
On top of having the statue blessed, it was also Vicki Detmers’ 20th anniversary with Mission Outreach! Vicki is our operations manager who has been here since the beginning, and without her, we would not have nearly the amount of shipments going out every week or the positive relationships we have with our partners. We are so appreciative of everything she brings to the team. Congrats on 20 years, Vicki!
St. Francis was a fierce advocator of upholding the dignity of the human person and understanding and respecting creation. We at Mission Outreach wholeheartedly believe in these values and try our best to live them out every day between the Laudato Si garden we created to the way we interact with and treat the groups of people we serve. By doing this, we are also continuing the legacy of the Hospital Sisters who founded us years ago.
