Magis Aspiration to Become a Laudato Si’ University (Memo U2223-023)

Becoming a Laudato Si’ University (LSU) is part of the Lux-in-Domino Strategic Plan 2030 (LID2030) and among the 10 Magis Aspirations that we envision to accomplish by 2030. We are pleased to inform the community that the Board of Trustees approved to move forward with this Magis Aspiration.

This aspiration is in support of the priority area on Integral Ecology (IE), specifically the strategy to model best practices towards integrating sustainability in the university and where necessary re-designing work practices, introducing new university policies, structures and practices.

Last September 2021, the Ateneo de Manila University submitted a commitment letter to the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which signified our participation in the first cohort of the Laudato Si’ Journey. The title of Laudato Si’ University will be awarded at the end of a 7-year Journey. The first year of the Journey will commence on 14 November 2022.

Moving forward with this aspiration, we are formulating the Laudato Si’ University Coordinating Council (LSU-CC) and the Working Group (LSU-WG) as follows:

The immediate task of the LSU-WG is to comply with the requirements of the Vatican Dicastery which includes the development of a Laudato Si’ Plan (LSP) and a reflection video/document on the alignment of integral ecology with our vision, mission and values.

The LSP embodies how the University intends to address the 7 Laudato Si’ Goals over the 7-year Journey. If we continue on the Journey in good faith, the distinction of being a Laudato Si’ University should be awarded in 2029. Beyond the title, however, this should be undertaken as an opportunity to advocate for paradigm shifts at all levels in the University to a culture of integral ecology.

We would like to thank the LSU-CC and the LSU-WG for accepting this responsibility. We also thank the original team that studied the feasibility of this Magis Aspiration, namely: C. Kendra Gotangco Gonzales (Lead), Nikki Carsi Cruz, Philip Arnold Tuaño, and Jose VC Quilongquilong SJ (Trustee).

Ad majorem Dei gloriam.