The Community of the Maria Mater Ecclesiae International Seminary Visits Borgo Laudato Si’: Fraternity, Prayer, and Care for Creation
At the beginning of Laudato Si’ Week, the community of the Maria Mater Ecclesiae International Seminary spent a day at Borgo Laudato si’, immersed in the beauty of the papal gardens of Castel Gandolfo.
The visit became a meaningful experience of fraternity and shared life for the young seminarians, who enjoyed moments of encounter, walks in nature, and communal reflection in a setting deeply inspired by the encyclical Laudato Si’. In this environment, contemplation of creation was closely united with prayer and with their journey of preparation for the priesthood.
The central moment of the day was the celebration of Holy Mass in the Garden of the Madonnina, presided over by Fr. Manuel Dorantes, Managing Director of Laudato si’ Center forHigher Education. In an atmosphere of recollection and serenity, the community offered a special prayer for the health of the Holy Father, while also renewing their vocational commitment to the service of the Gospel.
During his homily, Fr. Dorantes reflected on the deeper meaning of the experience lived at Borgo Laudato Si’, emphasizing that “before the Church can bring order to the world, the priest must allow Christ to bring order to his own soul.” It was an invitation to live priestly formation as a path of interior harmony, one capable of shaping the relationship with creation and with others.
Reflecting on the spiritual value of caring for our common home, he also recalled that “grace does not destroy order; grace perfects order,” highlighting how creation itself is a sign of the harmony willed by God and how places such as Borgo Laudato Si’ help rediscover an integral vision of the human person, nature, and faith.
In his address, Fr. Dorantes further encouraged the future priests to become authentic guides for the People of God: “The Church does not need frightened priests or fashionable priests. She needs fathers.”
The day at Borgo Laudato Si’ thus proved to be both a moment of fraternity and a concrete opportunity for human and spiritual formation.