This week our students learnt a little about Laudato Si Week. Pope Francis extended a challenge to the world to make changes for the earth and people everywhere. This year’s theme: Seeds of Hope, encourages us to make simple changes that make a positive impact the earth. With this in mind, our Reduced Waste Lunches each Thursday is one small change that is easy to implement. Many families find this way of packing lunch becomes a habit, and adopt these strategies more than once a week. Our Year 4 students have once again started our Popper collection to raise funds for different charities each term. Thank you Ms Jacob for volunteering to start popper collections again at St Francis Xavier’s. By encouraging our students to see these simple changes, and the positive impact on our environment, helps to educate them on ways to keep respecting, reducing, reusing and recycling to help protect our planet for the future.

As another part of Laudato Si, I put out a challenge to families to adopt another simple strategy into their daily routine: stopping to thank God for the gifts of creation. This might be on the drive home when you notice a beautiful sunset, rainbow or interesting cloud formation; by saying Grace before and after meals; making time for gratitude as a daily and consistent part of life helps us remember to focus on positives things in our day, and leaves us feeling happier – planting this seed of hope now and in the future.