Bringing Laudato Si’ to life

In this guest article, Brian Austin reflects on the last 10 years and encourages all to redouble our efforts.

May 2025, Laudato Si’ Week 24^th-31^st& 10^th Anniversary of Laudato Si’ Encyclical

How far have we got in the last 10 years in response to Laudato Si’? What difference have the Laudato Si’ Animators (Agents of the Laudato Si’ Movement, LSM) made?

First of all, let’s face facts. How many of the 2800 Catholic parishes in the country, or 12 500 Church of England parishes, have some form of active climate / environmental group? How many of the Dioceses have any form of environmental policy or statement? How many of our church-going congregations have adopted a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle?

The answer is that, yes, some do and there is some evidence of individual parishes engaging in environmental initiatives such as recycling programmes, energy conservation, community gardens, Eco Church, LiveSimply or Laudato Si Circle schemes. But, in reality one gets the impression that these are few and far between.

How can we make a difference? How can we, and especially those of us who are Laudato Si’ Animators, ‘up our game’. Here are a few ideas:

First, our Diocese: Each and every one of us to write to our own Bishop to ask that he uses Laudato Si’ week to issue a Pastoral Letter urging everyone to respond to Laudato Si’ and the more recent Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum (2023), to continue to address the urgent need for environmental stewardship and care for our common home.
Also, to ask our Bishop to urge every one of his/her own parishes to adopt active participation in the Eco Church (previously Eco Congregations), LiveSimply, Laudato Si’ Circles, or Laudato Si’ Action Platform schemes and have a parish team to see that these are effective.
And for the Diocese to adopt an Environmental Policy or Statement of Intent if there isn’t one.
Then, at our own Parish level, to pursue these objectives for ourselves. Have we got any form of climate and nature team or group and, if not, can we take the initiative? Let’s do it, especially if we are Laudato Si’ Animators. Laudato Si’ week would be a good time to start one.
Can we encourage our parish to establish a simple Environment Policy?
If we do have a group, can we get in touch with our neighbouring parishes and offer to help them get started in one way or another?
And if we are not a ‘LS Animator’, then we might consider becoming one by completing the Laudato Si’ course run by the global Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM), which will open April 28th, 2025. You can register for this by leaving your contact information in their interest form, for them to send the relevant information about the program at: https://laudatosianimators.org/the-program/. Unfortunately, this starts too late in order to finish in time to arrange something for Laudato Si’ week, which is May 24– 31^st.
Whether we do this or not, we can use material from LSM for Laudato Si’ week, which you can find at: https://laudatosiweek.org/ Their celebration for the week covers day by day, ecological conversion, sustainable transportation, sustainable food, renewable energy, waste reduction, water conservation, catechesis and integral ecology, reflection and commitment. There is also a Social Media toolkit for you to download: https://laudatosiweek.org/laudato-si-week-2024-resources/ (Note this is taken from last year’s programme).
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform, set up by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, invites us to “take concrete actions in the care of our common home”, and to record those actions as a Plan in the Platform.