On July 19, 2025, the Laudato Si’ Green Festival, organized by the Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View SSS, powered by the Laudato Youth Initiative, took place at Holy Cross Lake View SSS in Wanyange, Jinja. The festival’s theme, “Sowing Seeds of Peace and Hope for Creation,” aimed to remind everyone of their role in conserving Mother Earth.
The event began with a “Green Walk-A Walk of Faith,” where students, heads of schools, religious leaders, and community members of Wanyange marched with hope from Holy Cross Parish Bugembe. The group was flagged off by Rev. Fr. Francis Mukasa CSC, the parish priest of Holy Cross Parish, Bugembe, who prayed for journey mercies and a successful event. Participating schools included Holy Cross Primary School, Dayspring Elementary School, St Jude Primary School, Busoga College Mwiri, St Mary’s Secondary School Masese, Viva College, and Good Heart Secondary School.
The Green Mass, led by Rev. Fr. Muto Gerald, Chancellor of Jinja Diocese, featured a procession of the word, liturgical dances, and an offering of gifts of nature. In his homily, Rev. Fr. Muto emphasized the importance of caring for creation and highlighted the encyclical Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis, which stresses that God’s mercy is endless, but nature will not forgive when destroyed.
The festival also featured presentations from participating schools, including poems, songs, and speeches.
An exhibition tent showcased innovative projects, such as a smart dustbin and a greenhouse, and other projects made by the students. The event was made possible by the support of various partners, including Holy Cross Parish Bugembe, Centenary Bank, Holy Cross Centre for Community Empowerment, Foresters HSE, John Paul II Peace and Justice Centre, Laudato Youth Initiative, Kakira Sugar Limited, Rotary Club of Jinja, Holy Cross Family Ministries, Congregation of Holy Cross Province of East Africa and other people of God who donated their gifts and time for the success of the day.
Club Exchange Program
The Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View (HCLV) paid a visit to the Environmental Club of Busoga College Mwiri. This exchange program was an opportunity for students from both schools to learn from one another, share ideas, and conduct a hands on environmental activity in addition to the mentorship session led by teachers of both clubs on the environmental efforts taking place in their respective schools.
During the visit students from both schools had an opportunity to interact for knowledge exchange to develop a deeper understanding of different perspectives on environmental issues. Club patrons and club leaders held a mentorship session on environmental topics, fostering leadership skills and promoting a culture of environmental responsibility and action response to the challenges.
As a symbolic gesture to commemorate the day and reaffirm their commitment to caring for our common home, the students planted trees together on the Mwiri campus. This act not only marked the spirit of unity and collaboration but also contributed positively to the environment.
Such inter-school engagements are a great step toward building a more environmentally conscious generation. Kudos to both clubs for leading the way!
10th Anniversary of Laudato Si at Munyonyo
Our Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S is excited to embark on a transformative green pilgrimage journey of hope to creatively address environmental challenges and inspire more students and staff to embrace the culture of sustainability within our school and the community. The club continues to be a ray of hope for climate action since its establishment by the Laudato Youth Initiative.
We have made significant strides in promoting climate literacy, using debates to raise awareness about climate change, science and innovation projects, planting potted plants around the school, smart garden adventures and planting more flowers, engaging creative writing to explore the link between mental health and climate issues, and planting numerous fruit and indigenous trees both on campus and in the surrounding area etc.
Our annual Laudato Si Green Festival has since 2023 served as an opportunity for our members to engage in service- learning activities while encouraging local organizations and neighboring institutions to embrace corporate social responsibility in caring for our common home. We have celebrated green Laudato Si Masses, conducted social media advocacy, and shared inspiring stories and poetry through this "Laudato Voices" magazine and Media. By addressing school assemblies on special days like womens day, we have communicated the importance of fostering a climate-resilient generation and building an environmentally sustainable school community.
Our efforts to clean the school in weekends is an effort that aims to implement the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and to repurpose plastics mitigate material waste in our school, all contributing to a culture of environmental stewardship in our school.
This year, under the guidance of the school chaplaincy and the Laudato Youth Initiative, we are excited to celebrate the legacy of our founder Fr. Bob Hesse, C.S.C by launching a sustainability month and a pilgrimage to Bugembe parish where he was laid to rest, we will unvail the Fr. Bob Hesse Legacy environmental Sustainability Project.
Children. This attests the importance of celebrating his green initiative legacy This special activity will allow us to unite the school and community to collectively honor and amplify the voices of our school's founder as part of our Jubilee year celebrations focused on green hope.
Save Ecology Begin by Planting Trees
Our Laudato Youth engage with the community in Tree planting, they sentise them about wetland restoration, and biodiversity conservation. We have also succeeded in planting numerous fruit and indigenous trees at School and in the community.
Waste management
Waste Management Activities: Modeling the 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—in communities and enhancing re-generative activities.
Educate and inspire the youth about Climate change
Raise awareness about the global waste crisis and the significance of sustainable living. Educate your family, friends, and colleagues about responsible consumption, reducing single-use plastics, and making informed product choices.
Uniting Youth for Climate Action
Young people should be given an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills they need to build a sustainable future. Laudato Youth Initiative Unites, Inspires Action, Empowers, Fosters Mindset Change and builds the capacity of the youth to work with elders and address climate change for a better future.
Uniting Youth for Climate Action
Young people should be given an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills they need to build a sustainable future. Laudato Youth Initiative Unites, Inspires Action, Empowers, Fosters Mindset Change and builds the capacity of the youth to work with elders and address climate change for a better future.
Laudato Si ...
Green Festival
Club members play a crucial role in raising awareness about environmental issues, promoting sustainable practices, and empowering students to become environmentally conscious and responsible citizens. Their activities like debate, innovations, fruit and indigenous tree planting, media campaigns during Laudato Si week and Season of Creation,
Recycling programs, gardening and compositing, energy conservation initiatives, outreach programs, power and water conservation, Laudato Masses and seminars among others help students develop a sense of environmental stewardship and inspire them to take action to protect the mother earth
Laudato Si Club...
Holy Cross Lake View S.S.S
On May 16, 2025, the Archdiocese of Kampala hosted a celebration of Laudato Si’s 10th anniversary at Munyonyo Martyrs Basilica, presided over by His Grace, Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere.
The Eucharistic celebration honored the achievements of young environmental leaders and renewed the Church’s commitment to integral ecology.
In his homily, Archbishop Ssemogerere urged the faithful to emulate St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Ecology, and to “co-create” with God by caring for creation.
He highlighted the importance of youth participation, commending the Laudato Si Club of Holy Cross Lake View for their pioneering work.
Notably, the event observed a zero-plastic policy, encouraging attendees to use reusable water bottles—a simple but powerful act of ecological responsibility.
The bishop also emphasized the protection of aquatic ecosystems, calling attention to the urgency of preserving fish species and freshwater sources, especially in the face of pollution and environmental degradation.
Laudato Si Series
What is happening to our common home?
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