Recycling puts Encyclical to Work

by Letters Editor · December 17, 2015

Mitchell M Cloete, St Francis Xavier Seminary, Cape Town – Pope Francis� encyclical letter Laudato Si (�On care for our common home�) is all about caring for the environment and how we as human beings are failing in this regard, but there is still hope and we can still make a difference in small things, such as recycling.

Staff and seminarians do their bit to put Laudato Si� to work.

At St Francis Xavier Orientation Seminary in Cape Town, the staff and we seminarians take this very seriously. We believe that by doing our part, even if it�s just small, we can make a difference in the long run.

At the seminary we do our best to care for our common home, that is why we recycle paper, glass, metal and plastic. We recycle other materials too, such as wood for compost.

We have two seminarians, one from each corridor, who are in charge of recycling. Each corridor has two bins, one for rubbish and the other for recycling materials. On Saturdays we separate the items in the bins, and put them into black bags to be taken away.

Pope Francis calls us to be people who care for and love creation. The earth is God�s handiwork and he made it for us to live in, to take care of and to use its resources for the common good of all.

If I do my bit today and you do your bit tomorrow, everybody will join in and do their bit. Therefore, together we will make the world a better �home� for all.

�In the meantime, we come together to take charge of this home which has been entrusted to us, knowing that all the good which exists here will be taken up into the heavenly feast� (Laudato Si 244).