"Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs.” - St. Francis, quoted by Pope Francis in Laudato Si'. 

Recently, University Ministry commissioned a second mural that now graces the walls of the office lobby. Created by San Francisco-based artist Stefan Salinas, the piece is inspired by Laudato Si': On Care For Our Common Home, the second encyclical by Pope Francis. The mural is a colorful representation of the message of Laudato Si' and honors the natural beauty of our city and state. Within the image, viewers will find St. Ignatius Church, Temple Emanu-El, and a mosque–reminders that the encyclical, like the responsibility of caring for our common home, is for everyone. 

The mural also honors our origins as a university and as a city. On the lower left, St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology and of our city and namesake of our university, lovingly embraces the world. On the lower right, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first canonized Native American saint and patroness of the environment and ecology, holds up and embraces the world along with St. Francis. Both look at us as a reminder to care for our home–there is still time. 

There is much to explore in this new mural and we hope you'll take some time to stop by and see it! We are grateful for the generous contribution of the parents of Fr. Dónal Godfrey, S.J who made this second mural possible.