Laudato Si

Q. What is Laudato Si?

A. Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home is the second encyclical of Pope Francis and is addressed to "every person living on this planet" (LS 3) Laudato Si’ means ‘Praise be to You’ and comes from St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer ‘Canticle of the Creatures’. Pope Francis was intentional in naming his 2015 encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ – Care for Our Common Home’ with this Canticle in mind. He is calling the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to have “a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet” (LS 14). This encyclical was also a call to action, which is producing many fruits, among all people on this planet. To this end, Pope Francis addressed 40 faith leaders in Oct. 2021, to follow him and their congregations on this ecological journey. Learn more

Q. What does the Church teach about caring for our common home?

A. From the Vatican sponsored Laudato Si' Platform;  Exploring the ancient teachings of our faith in the light of today’s ecological crisis, Laudato Si’ teaches us that “everything is connected.” (LS 91) As our relationship with our divine Creator has been neglected, human relationships have faltered, and our world has grown hotter, less stable, and more lifeless. As a result, we all suffer, and the poorest and most vulnerable suffer above all. We face a “complex crisis that is both social and environmental.” (LS 139) There is hope. Pope Francis calls us to develop a “loving awareness” of this home we share and to act on the values we hold dear. (LS 220) Standing on the firm ground of “three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor, and with the Earth itself,” we commit to setting out “on the long path of renewal.” (LS 66, 202) We embrace our rightful place in the “order and dynamism” that our Creator ordained, and we urgently embark on new ways of living with “creativity and enthusiasm” (LS 221, 220).

Q. How does Laudato Si Encyclical relate to Catholic Social Teaching?

A. “We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.” In Laudato Si’, the Holy Father invites us to reflect deeply on all points of human activity, whether we consider care for creation at the level of our individual choices or in the public square. The need for urgent action is clear and he appeals to us to become “painfully aware” of what is happening to the world and “to grow in solidarity, responsibility and compassionate care. ”The Holy Father makes it clear that we were given the earth as a gift from our Creator. It is our responsibility to avoid contributing to a culture of acquisitiveness, individualism, or exploitation.  Pope Francis repeatedly urges us to renewed and urgent action and honest dialogue about our environment – both social and ecological. “The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together”, both of which disproportionately affect our poorest brothers and sisters. Reflecting on inner city slums, lack of clean drinking water, and a consumerism mentality, Pope Francis asks “what kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us?” This question is at the heart of this encyclical and rightfully calls us all to work harder against the challenges the human family faces today. From Archbishop Joseph Kurtz

Q. What are the goals of the Laudato Si Encyclical?

A. A summation of the goals is to "hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor". The Vatican and Lay people of all faiths are answering the call to have a new dialogue by developing many groups and activities. Two Catholic groups in particular have developed goals. One is the Vatican sponsored Laudato Si' Platform who's seven goals  provide guidance on urgent and immediate actions each one of us can take in the care of our common home. They are: Response to the Cry of the Earth, Response to the Cry of the Poor,  Ecological Economics, Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles, Ecological Education, Ecological Spirituality and Community Resilience and Empowerment.“ All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents” (Laudato Si’ 14) 

The Laudato Si’ Action Platform is a shared space where the Church develops a bold and active response to the ecological crisis, so urgently illustrated in Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. The Laudato Si’ Action Platform equips you to take action now, when it is “urgent and necessary.” (LS 57) At this kairos moment, we are responding to the call for healing in our relationships with God, our neighbors, and the Earth itself. Through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, we are walking the “path to renewal” together (LS 202).

Put a Laudato Si’ Plan for our common home into action. Starting right where you are. Starting today. Laudato Si' Action (laudatosiactionplatform.org)

A second group, The Laudato Si' Movement brings together a broad range of Catholic organizations and grassroots members from all over the world. These members walk together in synodality and communion with the universal Church on a journey of ecological conversion. Their strategic goals include: Ecological Conversion, to encourage a change of heart, motivate a more passionate concern for our common home and enshrine creation care as a Catholic priority. Full Sustainability, by embodying 'Less is More' motto and shrinking carbon footprint to zero and Prophetic Advocacy, by raising a prophetic voice for climate and ecological justice calling for bold policies. Laudato Si' Movement (laudatosimovement.org)

To care for the earth by hearing the cry of the earth and to care for the poor by hearing the cry of the poor. 

Q. Why should Catholics care about this?

A. Genuine efforts to true dialogue will require sacrifice and the confronting of good faith disagreements, but let us be encouraged that at “the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us…he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward.” May we help answer Pope Francis’ call in this encyclical, receiving his message and grow ing in responsibility towards the common home that God has entrusted to us all. From Archbishop Joseph Kurtz   A 'Laudato Si' Rountable'  from the United States Conference of Bishops - USCCBEnvironmental Justice - Justice Peace and Human Development | USCCB