A group of St. Francis students joined over 400 other high schoolers at the state capitol on April 7 to champion environmental justice in honor of the Laudato Si encyclical.
The Laudato Si, originally a written call to action from Pope Francis, became the title of the youth-led Sacramento movement for environmental advocacy.
In 2015, the Laudato Si Movement was born, with the mission of being, in the words of the late Pope Francis, “committed to protecting our common home, God’s creation, from the climate emergency and ecological crisis,” according to the movement’s official website.
For St. Francis High School this was a collaborative campus effort. The Garden of Eden and Environmental Justice and Equity Clubs joined the Christian Service Leaders at the Capitol.
Seniors Peri Hines and Grace Mastagni, as well as sophomore Angelyn Gonzales, led St. Francis’ involvement in the summit. Hines and Mastagni are co-Presidents of St. Francis’ Environmental Justice and Equity Club, and Gonzales is the President of the Garden of Eden Club.
The summit primarily consisted of pre-scheduled advocacy meetings with legislators. Members from both clubs sought greater legislative support for a variety of bills such as AB 550, titled Fire Prevention Grant Programs, and SB 635, titled Street Vendor Protection.
“Each person took on topics that they cared most about and researched that bill or wrote a personal testimony”, said Hines and Mastagni.
Gonzales personally focused on SB 31, titled Recycling Water for Non-Drinking Purposes. “In my testimony, I shared a personal story about spending my childhood summers at a playground’s water play area, where I first learned that water could be safely recycled for non-drinking purposes”, said Gonzales.
Gonzales ended her testimony with a specific call to action. “I ended by urging support for water-related bills that promote recycling water for non-drinking uses, so future generations can enjoy the same memories while protecting our environment”, said Gonzales.
Legislators like Assemblymembers Maggry Krell and Heath Flora and Senator Chris Cabaldon listened to similar speeches by students from 10 am to 1 pm.
“I had never done something like this, and I was afraid the representatives wouldn’t listen to us or interrupt us. But the legislators listened intently to us, responding, engaging and asking questions”, said Gonzales.
Hines and Mastagni would agree. “At first, we felt nervous about lobbying, but we were all really passionate about these bills and fighting for the environment that it just became empowering and exciting”, said Hines and Mastagni.
The summit began long before those three hours on April 7. Members of the Environmental Justice and Equity Club and Garden of Eden Club attended online training sessions to map out what their advocacy would look like.
“We got Carol Kinser, a leader in the California Laudato Si Chapter, to come to speak to one of our meetings about the movement and the summit”, added Hines and Mastagni.
On Sunday, the day before the summit, students gathered at Jesuit High School. “We attended an Opening Mass at Jesuit High School where we rehearsed our plan for advocacy meetings and for prayer”, said Gonzales.
Prayer was a uniting force for students. The summit on Monday also ended in prayer and song.
“The ultimate motivation for our political advocacy comes from our faith. The day was a call to care for creation and love our neighbor. Ending with prayer is a beautiful way to center our campaign in Christ”, said Michelle Reagan, the adult moderator for the Garden of Eden Club.
The summit was intended to be a special campaign in Christ’s name. “It was also a Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation intended to unite our visit to the capitol with the Jubilee Year of Hope proclaimed by Pope Francis”, said Reagan.
2025 is a Jubilee Year, or a year that focuses on forgiveness and reconciliation. But for students at the summit, this year is for change.
Gonzales said, “Our responsibility to protect the planet doesn’t start tomorrow. It starts right now”.
Gonzales led the crowd in the singing “Go Make a Difference” at the beginning of the event. And at the end, students sang “This Little Light of Mine”. Gonzales said, “We are the new generation, ready to create change and bring our light to today’s world”.
The Summit was also a Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation intended to unite our visit to the capitol with the Jubilee Year of Hope proclaimed by Pope Francis. There was a particular moment when the students were speaking with their legislator and Dr. Wilkinson and I exchanged a glance full of pride as we watched the girls speaking with such poise and presence. They are the beacons of hope for the future of our planet and our Church.
