Each year from September 1 to October 4, faith communities worldwide unite in prayer, advocacy, and action to protect Earth, our common home. At O'Dowd, the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi serve as a powerful guide to shape both the spiritual and practical lives of our students. His deep reverence for creation, his commitment to serving the poor, and his dedication to nurturing a closer relationship with God, offer valuable lessons for the school community.
1. Hear the Cry of the Earth
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother, who nourishes us and sustains us, bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds and flowers of many colors. - St. Francis’ Canticle of Creation
St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology and of all those who work on behalf of the environment, devoted his life to caring for the poor and for all creation.
At O’Dowd, our charism calls us to kinship, or family, with creation. Even before the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si, O’Dowd has been a leader in sustainability and care for our common home - Earth. Our students learn responsibility and stewardship through service in our 4+ acre Living Lab and through immersive learning experiences in the outdoor classroom spaces.
And beyond student learning, O’Dowd continues to be a leader across California and the US Catholic Conference of Bishops for our commitment to caring for our common home. In 2023 alone, O’Dowd hosted a “Green Strides Tour” with the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon program, earned the recognition of Laudato Si Champion by the Catholic Climate Covenant, and received the Diocese of Oakland’s inaugural St. Francis De Sales award. “Though we are grateful for this recognition, our legacy of leadership only matters insofar as we continue to lead,” says Director of Justice and Kinship Michael Downs. “We will continue to deepen and widen our commitment to sustainability, environmental justice, and climate resiliency across our curriculum, campus, community, and culture.”
2. Hear the Cry of the Poor
Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of you; and for those who bear sickness and weakness in peace and patience - you will grant them a crown. - St. Francis’ Canticle of Creation
St. Francis came from a wealthy Italian family but spent the latter part of his life giving away his possessions and serving the poor. In Laudato Si, Pope Francis describes his namesake, St. Francis, as someone who was “loved, and was deeply loved for his joy, his generous self-giving, his openheartedness. He was a mystic and a pilgrim who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.”
O’Dowd students complete at least 100 service hours over their four years, with many students becoming inspired to give 200, 300, and even 400+ hours to causes serving people who are vulnerable and marginalized in our communities. In 10th grade, students participate in a service-immersion field trip to St. Anthony’s Foundation in San Francisco, where they serve meals to the poor and help work in the clothing bank. “Through this service, our students have an unique opportunity to be in relationship with some of the most vulnerable people in the Bay Area,” says project coordinator Karen Yavorsky. “These encounters put a human face on abstract social issues and help foster compassion and empathy in our students for those in need.”
3. Deepen Your Spiritual Life
O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God, to you belong praise, glory, honor and all blessing.
Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation and especially for our Brother Sun, who brings us the day and the light; he is strong and shines magnificently. O Lord, we think of you when we look at him. - St. Francis’ Canticle of Creation
When St. Francis made the decision to radically change his life, leaving his worldly possessions behind to serve God, he went into the wilderness. He hid in a cave near San Damiano, Italy, where he began to develop a deep relationship with God. St. Francis spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel, especially calling people to see the poor, the sick, the animals, and all the natural world as a holy part of God’s creation.
O’Dowd has a robust grade-specific retreat program, which includes our transformative Kairos retreat for juniors. Kairos, which means “God’s Time,” is a three-day retreat in San Damiano, which pays respect to St. Francis in its name and its location against a quiet hillside.
Through our Kairos retreat, students consider their relationships with themselves, others, and God. “It is a valuable opportunity for students to unplug and spend time focusing on their own values, and the experiences that have shaped them,” shares Liz Remigio, Retreat Coordinator. Recently, and with help from generous donors, the Kairos program has expanded to offer the retreat four times a year.
Whether on retreat, service immersion, or in our Living Lab, the lessons St. Francis taught continue to inspire the faculty, staff, and students of O’Dowd daily.
