Sisters, ‘daughters of the Church’, caring for Mother Earth

 

Laudato Si’ Movement recently interviewed Sr. Narguis Yousaf, who belongs to the congregation of Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret in Pakistan. Sr. Narguis speaks about her ecological conversion and gives us a glimpse of the ample efforts the Sisters of Charity are taking to care for creation.

LSM: Please tell us about your ecological conversion. 

I am I am glad to share my experience with integral ecology, which is greatly inspired by Pope Francis’ Laudato Sĺ Encyclical that focuses our intentions on Mother Earth–our Common Home. 

Our Mother Earth is currently facing so many crises, and we all need a spiritual conversion to be able to confront them in unity. Conversion makes us renew our relationship with ourselves, with others, with society, with creation and with God. 

LSM: What was your motivation for taking a leadership role in your community? 

What has led me to take a leadership role in my community and in society to work for ecology is the strong faith of our foundress, St. Jeanne Anitde Thouret, who says, “I am the daughter of the Church.” We are proud to be the daughters of a courageous mother who led us to work for the church and the poor. In the Laudato Si encyclical, Pope Francis calls on each of us to do our part to care for creation, hearing the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. 

LSM: Please tell us about the events you were involved with during Laudato Si’ Week 2022.

Laudato Si’ Week this year was an amazing and touching experience with the youth, Friends of St. Jeanne Anitde and school teachers. We strengthened our faith with the word of God and prayer and deeply felt our responsibility to take care of our common home in our hearts.  

We wish to continue to spread awareness about caring for the environment with the same spirit, so that our planet becomes clean and beautiful as God desired when he created it. When he created us he said, “All is good.” Let us continue this mission to bring love, justice and peace to our common home.  

LSM: How are you planning to celebrate the Season of Creation this September? 

We have planned to do the following activities in September:

• Formation meeting about ecology with all the sisters of our community
• Seminar on how to care for creation and love for mother earth, involving youth, teachers and friends of St. Jeanne Antide.
• Planting day Celebration with youth at a school 
• Awareness-raising campaign including distribution of cloth bags by The Friends of St. Jeanne Antide 

Join Sr. Narguis, Sr Saïdé, Arnaldo, Sr. Mirna, and other Friends of the Sisters of Charity in celebrating Season of Creation 2022.