Laudato si’: Rome’s Pontifical Universities come together for our common home. In November the first “Joint Diploma” in integral ecology

“Alliance for care of our common home” is the title of the Joint Diploma in integral ecology activated by Rome’s Pontifical Universities in response to the request that in Laudato si Pope Francis addresses to all men and women of good will. “A great educational challenge stands before us”, writes the Holy Father, highlighting the importance of “environmental education”, capable of “instilling new habits” (ns. 209 – 215). For this reason, as of the academic year 2017-2018, Rome’s seven Pontifical Universities – Angelicum, Antonianum, Gregorian, Lateran, Salesianum, Holy Cross, Urbaniana – and the Institute for Higher Education Regina Apostolorum, will activate a five-year educational program on the subject coordinated by Fr. Prem Xalxo, Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University. The course, divided into one-year Diplomas, will be taught by professors at the “affiliated” institutions. This first year’s courses will  be held at the Gregorian University.

Fr Xalxo presented the project to the Holy Father last June 22, accompanied by Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo.

Father Xalxo, integral ecology understood as a conceptual paradigm and a spiritual and existential path, represents the heart of the encyclical Laudato si’. How did the project of such a rich and articulate education program take shape?
In March 2016, at the Gregorian, I met with Rabbi Rabbi Yonatan Neril from the Interfaith Centre for Sustainable development in Jerusalem and with Prof. Joshtrom Kureethadam from the Salesian University to explore the possibility of advancing awareness on the care of our common home among seminarians and students of religious athenaeums. We agreed on a fundamental point: the possibility of integrating a course on the theme of ecology in academic programs. The proposal was presented to Msgr. Friedrich Bechina, under-Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, who asked us to explore the possibility of a cooperation project involving the various religious universities and academic institutions. After the international conference “Alliance for the care of our common home”, held past November at the Salesian University, Kureethadam, Giulia Lombardi (Urbaniana), Massimo Losito (Regina Apostolorum) and myself, discussed ways to promote the idea of  an “alliance” among the pontifical universities in Rome. Under the guidance of Prof. Kureethadam we finalized the document and contacted experts that could cooperate with us. Each interested university approved the project of the Joint Diploma which thus obtained the green light from the Council of Rectors.

What are its goals? First of all to spread the vision and the mission of Laudato si’ on the care of our common home, the Earth. The second goal is to seek to respond to the need of forming future shepherds, so they may address the urgent requests contained in the encyclical with full knowledge of the facts.

The human roots underlying the present ecological crisis call into question the political and economic realms, scientific research, along with educational programs. Perhaps only an education/awareness of new lifestyles will bring about a change. In other words, the revolution must above all be a cultural one. Do you agree? I fully agree with the urgent need to educate and raise awareness of new lifestyles among seminarians and men and women religious, so they may be the promoters and cater to new values rooted in the different cultures. A cultural revolution of values directed at the care of our common home could advance scientific research along with education, and ultimately influence the political and economic understanding of the subject.

Which specific themes will be studied in depth? The Joint Diploma consists in six parts, corresponding to the six chapters of Laudato si, each of which will be developed into two sub-themes. The selected themes involve various academic disciplines ranging from philosophy to theology and spirituality, to socio-politics and economics. In particular, we will seek to deepen the urgent need to care for a home that is falling into decay. Hence we welcome the ushering in of ecological justice, reconciliation and ecological conversion, technocratic paradigm of modernity, mechanistic vision of nature, human ecology as the beating heart of integral ecology, common good, new economic and political paradigm at local and global level, core of ecological education. The students are requested “active” participation.

The connection between “immigration and climate change” – the theme of one of the proposed seminars, is extremely interesting. Climate migrants, whom the Pope often refers to, are an emerging group within a phenomenon on the brink of exploding. How will the seminars be structured and which is their guiding criteria? 
The seminars are grouped under the theme: “Signs of hope”, for they will offer students the opportunity to enter into direct contact with concrete situations, to experience ecological renewal in first person. In conjunction with Caritas Internationalis and the Jesuit Refugee Service we plan to organize a day of study with refugees fleeing from situations of wars, armed conflicts and natural disasters in their home Countries. Some of them have personally experienced the consequences of climate change in terms of drinking-water shortage, deforestation, salinity and non-productive land, draught, floods and heat waves. Students will be asked to focus on a specific case marked by the connection between immigration and climate change to examine it and study it in depth with the goal of finding an answer that may prompt awareness along with personal and common responsibility for the care of our common “home in ruins.” The classroom lessons, the studying and research coupled by personal and guided readings, will be followed by a stage where students will be asked to plan personal and joint initiatives that may be implemented in the near future.