Franciscan sisters to award grants to creative projects taking on climate change in Central Minnesota

Nora G. Hertel
St. Cloud Times

LITTLE FALLS — The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls wanted to take more action to heal the planet, and the words of Pope Francis helped motivate them to do so. 

Starting this fall, the sisters will fund up to $50,000 for Central Minnesota projects, from carbon-reducing programs like the planting of trees and pollinator gardens to retreats, advocacy, artwork and curriculum about the "care of creation."

It is called the One Planet Fund and will provide individual grants of up to $1,000 for climate emergency action projects in Central Minnesota.

"We have always been concerned about the earth and nature and have said for a long time that we want to help heal the wounds of Mother Earth," Sister Carolyn Law told the St. Cloud Times last week. "And of course, St. Francis was a great lover of nature."

A bee buzzes busily among bright flowers on the property of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, in Little Falls.

The Franciscan sisters have a pollinator garden on their grounds and are working to establish a solar installation on six acres. They've restored prairie on about 60 acres of their land south of Rice. And they host a produce garden used by a local high school. 

The new grant program is inspired by the national group Catholic Climate Covenant which launched a similar fund this summer. 

The sisters have also been energized by Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical letter "Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home" which has been expanded into a platform for action around the issues of climate change, poverty and the concept of "integral ecology," meaning everything is connected on our planet. 

Sister Carolyn Law talks about environmental stewardship efforts underway by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, in Little Falls.

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Pope Francis has continued to speak on that point, including in 2020 when he urged listeners to stick to the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global average temperature rise to less than 1.5 C.

"Climate Restoration is of utmost importance since we are in a climate emergency. We are running out of time, as our children and young people have reminded us," Pope Francis said during his 2020 Message for World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation.

The nuns in Little Falls hope youth groups will apply for the grants they're offering, which are open to faith-based groups, service organizations and other community groups. They're encouraging "creative projects that will further climate change mitigation and sustainable living," according to the summary of the grant program.

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Sister Carolyn Law talks about environmental efforts currently underway by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, in Little Falls.

Suggested projects include holding an event to promote awareness that could lead to action, such as a rally or prayer service. The grants could support composting or recycling programs. They could be used for advocacy or to promote dialog with church and political leaders. 

"It's going to take everybody doing everything that they can to change the direction that we're going," Law said. "While we need the governments and big businesses to make big changes, we on the small level need to put our words into action too. It's going to take everything to solve climate change."

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Sister Carolyn Law talks about environmental stewardship efforts planned by the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, in Little Falls.

If you want to apply

What is it called? One Planet Fund

Who can apply? Church and community groups in Central Minnesota

When are applications due? Nov. 1, Feb. 1 and July 1

How much is available? The maximum grant is $1,000. And $50,000 has been set aside for the fund. 

How can we apply? Contact Elisabeth Rydeen: 320-632-0624 or erydeen@fslf.org

Nora Hertel is the government watchdog reporter for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-255-8746 or nhertel@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @nghertel.

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