Photo courtesy of Solar by CIR.
As a Franciscan community, we are dedicated to being responsible stewards of the environment. We advocate for responsible public policy and implement “green” initiatives at our convents and ministries, including:
- Using Materials Wisely: When possible, we repair, reuse, recycle and compost.
- Preserving the Outdoors: We promote rainwater preservation, maintenance of green spaces and organic gardening.
- Speaking Out as Investors: In 2021, we worked with Green Century Capital Management and filed a shareholder proposal for a commitment to not engage in mining for titanium on Trail Ridge along the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge — the world’s largest intact freshwater wetlands. An agreement was reached but the fight continues. Read more.
- Using Solar Power: Since 2017, the solar power used at Felician properties across the United States is expected to avoid 110 million pounds of CO2 emissions over its 35-year lifetime.
- Joining with Others: As a congregation, we have committed to developing a Laudato Si’ Action Plan.
Sustainable building owners, the Felician Sisters were awarded the Pennsylvania Solar Lodestar Award in 2021, and again in 2023.
Read about our sustainability work.
Laudato Si’
We actively support Laudato Si’ — one of the three encyclical letters written by Pope Francis — which entreats everyone to join together to protect our planet and the future of humanity.
Pope Francis explores today’s ecological crisis in the light of faith, and shows us that “everything is connected.” (LS 91) As our world faces extreme weather and the loss of precious biodiversity, we all suffer, but the poorest and most vulnerable suffer most.
Yet there is hope. Pope Francis calls us to develop a “loving awareness” of this home we share and to act. (LS 220)
The Felician Sisters of North America, inspired by our Franciscan heritage to be in right relationship with all of creation and impelled by the spirit of our foundress, Blessed Mary Angela, commit to the seven-year journey of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP).
Read our Laudato Si’ Action Plan below:
Resources
Laudato Si’ Website
Providing updates and action items, including viewing the film, THE LETTER.
Laudato Si’ Action Platform
Supporting churches and individuals in creating concrete plans to protect our common home.
God’s Creation Needs You Video Series
Empowering change with a series featuring Catholic communities nationwide actively engaged in climate advocacy, environmental justice, community building and more.
The Blue Planet Project
Helping communities fight privatization of water and to promote the human right to water.
Butterflyway Project
Volunteering wildflower patches to help these vital pollinators.
LSAP Webinar Resources – April 7, 2025
Webinar Recording
Click the link above to watch the full webinar.
LSAP PowerPoint
View or download the PowerPoint from our webinar: Living Laudato Si: A Call to Action for Our Common Home.
LSAP Brochure
View or download our brochure: Living Laudato Si’: Community Actions for a Sustainable Future.
Fill it Forward
Inspiring the world to reuse.
Just Faith Ministries
Offering study programs for small groups on a number of topics such as Sacred Land, Sacred Air and Sacred Water.
Pollinator Pathway
Public and private pesticide-free corridors of native plants that provide nutrition and habitat for pollinating insects and birds.
Scarce
Inspiring people through environmental education and providing a recycling and drop off program in Addison, IL.
NexTrex Plastic Film recycling
Drop off your plastic waste at one of these participating locations and join the recycling challenge. One of our ministries is collecting film in order to receive a park bench made from that film!
Izel Nursery
View plants that are native to a given state
Ecoplantia
View options for roll-out gardens which are pre-seeded mats or sheets that you simply roll out onto prepared soil, water and then watch your garden grow!
Watch Trash Talk
Laudato Si’ is the Catholic
response to care for our Earth.
Sr. Mary Jean Sliwinski and Sr. Mary Jacqueline Keefe hosted a live Zoom.
Watch Create Recycled Art
Sisters and friends gather to create art from would-be trash.
Sr. Mary Ann Therese Kelly hosted a workshop for Catholic Sisters Week.
For more information about Felician Sisters’ environmental stewardship, contact:
Sr. Mary Jean Sliwinski
Provincial Sustainability Coordinator
sjeans@feliciansisters.org
