In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis established caring for creation as a cornerstone of Catholic Social Teaching. Yet many Catholics have struggled to embrace this ecological calling. “Green Saints for a Green Generation” addresses this gap through the voices of young Catholic women who illuminate stories of saints—canonized and not—who integrated faith with concern for our Earth.
When I was approached to write for this book project, I immediately knew Sister Paula Gonzalez would be my subject. A Sister of Charity of Cincinnati who passed away in 2016, Sister Paula was involved in environmental organizations, including Sisters of Earth. I first encountered her story while teaching fifth-grade religion. The textbook mentioned her solar home constructed from a chicken coop. My reaction was, “I must meet this woman!” Years later, that opportunity materialized. Sister Paula would always pause and take time to listen to others. She offered support for my youth gardening initiatives, becoming a source of inspiration.
Sister Paula followed her parents’ footsteps as an educator in New Mexico. Like her namesake St. Paul, she felt called to a mission. In her words: “The 1969 photo of Earth from space changed my life. It grabbed me by the hair of my head, and I became a global citizen on the spot!” That image of our planet—a beautiful yet fragile blue-green sphere suspended in darkness—catalyzed her educational ministry toward Earth stewardship.
Like St. Paul’s journeys, Sister Paula traversed the United States and beyond from the 1980s through the 2000s, advocating a principle: “Live simply so others may simply live.” Many Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth recall her presentation to our Community. With a doctorate in cellular physiology, Sister Paula’s expertise enhanced her faith perspective. She understood the interconnectedness of creation and humanity’s place within—not apart from—the world:
If you have never planted a vegetable seed, tended
the tiny shoot, watered and fertilized the growing
plant, and finally picked your first sun-ripened
tomato, you have missed a profoundly sacramental
experience… Even if you buy a young plant at a
garden center you can enjoy being an active part of
the incredible miracle of photosynthesis. You can
learn to eat mindfully, personally celebrating the
wonders of nature. Once you taste a sun-warmed
tomato off the vine, or enjoy the real flavor of
tender green beans, you will be hooked. Also, you
may discover what I have learned through my
annual activity: My garden is my spiritual director
and my favorite sacred space.
As a gardener myself, I resonate with her perspective on gardens as sacred spaces.
Sister Paula aspired to foster sustainable living practices, particularly in design. The housing crisis in Cincinnati in the 1980s motivated her to develop housing models utilizing recycled materials. Her vision materialized in her residence, “La Casa del Sol,” and later in a facility called EarthConnection, which incorporates solar and geothermal energy systems.
Rather than identifying as an environmentalist, Sister Paula preferred the term “futurist,” emphasizing imagination and youth empowerment to transform the world. Her legacy endures today, and I encourage visitors to Cincinnati to explore EarthConnection and Casa del Sol. By sharing Sister Paula’s story, I hope the principle to “live simply so others may simply live” inspires readers as it has inspired me.
