News

Open this article as a PDF

Dave Gitter, part of the CSA Maintenance Team, carefully trims and prunes shrubs and bushes by cutting away overgrown and dead branches or stems and by removing debris. The process of pruning allows sunlight and water to reach the roots and improves air circulation for the tree or plant. This results in significantly increased growth and fruitfulness. Pruning decreases the spread of disease or decay and promotes new growth. This works wonderfully in yards.

Our prairie and woodlands, on the other hand, provide food and shelter from snowstorms, promote new growth, and become prime nesting material in the springtime.  Pruned material is composted or processed as mulch for natural walkways and woodland paths to live more sustainably and justly with gratitude for creation and ecological conversion.
Source: https://www.monarchgard.com/thedeepmiddle/why-you-shouldnt-clean-up-the-fall-garden 

Prune bushes. Protect bugs. Provide for birds.
 

Upper pond at St. Agnes Convent

Pope Francis invites every person to care for our common home.

This call to “ecological conversion” is not only about large-scale policies, but also about integrating sustainability into our daily lives in ways that fit our local context. We can respond in both small and large ways.   
Laudato Si’ reminds us that we are all interconnected and share a responsibility to care for creation. Whether you live in a city, a small village, or on a ledge overlooking a lake, there are practical ways to bring the spirit of Laudato Si’ into your daily life. From reducing waste and conserving energy to planting a butterfly garden and pruning shrubs, every step matters.  Together, in both small and large ways, each of us can respond to this call to care for our common home.  5 Practical Ways to Live Out Laudato Si'. 
 

Special thank you to: Chelsea Koenigs, Laudato Si’ Animator, 
Mary Christopherson, Julie Ann Krahl, CSA, & Patricia Bogenschuetz, CSA

Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes: https://www.csasisters.org/our-values/creation.cfm