Seeds of Hope

Laudato Si’ Week is a celebration held annually in May to mark the anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on caring for creation. Sponsored by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, this global celebration unites Catholics to listen and respond together to the cry of creation, rejoice in the progress we have made in bringing Laudato Si’ to life, and intensify our efforts through the Laudato Si’ Action Platform as well as other opportunities for education and action.

In Laudato Si’ Week May 19-26, 2024, let us gather in community to contemplate the wonder of creation and nurture seeds of hope for our “suffering planet” (LD 2).

Laudate Deum is a reminder about the urgency of the Laudato Si’ message and the need for both personal and cultural transformation amidst our ecological and climate crises.

Laudato Si’ Week offers a great opportunity as a springboard for promotion and encouragement on the journey towards the Laudato Si’ Goals and commitment to developing a Plan. The theme for Laudato Si’ Week this year is Seeds of Hope – inspired by the symbol for Season of Creation 2024, “first fruits.” Let us be seeds of hope in our lives and our world, rooted in faith and love.

This year, the dates for Australia coincided with the International dates, May 19-26 as they did not overlap into Reconciliation Week.  Though it did mean that LS Week concludes on Sunday, May 26 which was National Sorry Day.

The Australian Bishops’ Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace prepared resources for LS Week. These focused on Care for our Earth from an Indigenous perspective so as to keep alive the current Bishops’ SJ Statement, Listen, Learn, Love – A New Engagement with ATSI People.  Available at https://socialjustice.catholic.org.au/]

Two positive actions that were encouraged in parishes during this year’s Laudato Si’ week included:

Firstly, considering your parish commitment by joining the Laudato Si’ Platform as stipulated by Pope Francis and the Plenary Council decree 8.  The Caritas program, Catholic Earthcare Australia, is a way of stimulating and sustaining ecological conversion. This model provides a concrete way to plan for action in our diocese and parishes through action plans based on setting local Laudato Si’ goals, with support from Caritas Australia.  The first step in this commitment is to register as an Earthcare Parish here.

Secondly, planting seeds of hope We encouraged parishes and schools to both advocate for change and be the change by planting seeds in gardens or to rejuvenate local green spaces. More information can be found here.

YOU CAN STILL DO THESE ACTIONS AT ANY STAGE

For more information and to explore this call to action further, please contact Jillian Hogbin, ph. 53377 117 or email caritas@ballarat.catholic.org.au

Laudato Si’: Everything is connected

In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis reminds us that everything is connected. Our relationship with nature is not separate from our relationship with God and others. This concept of integral ecology encourages us to care for the Earth and each other. It calls us to action. The Diocesan Social Justice Commission, in collaboration with Caritas (Diocese of Ballarat), Earthcare Ballarat and the Pastoral Ministry Office, provide monthly Laudato Si’ banners for use in parishes for correspondence to their  community.

The banners include a quote taken directly from the encyclical with the reference number provided for parishioners to look up and read more deeply about that area.

Parishes are encouraged to promote the Pope’s message by using these banners as they are designed to help reflect and respond to the encyclical and foster faith and action.

Also provided along with the banners is a monthly idea that we suggest parishes include on bulletins to help their parish/community to change the world!

During May the focus is on the 7 Laudato Si’ Goals – LSGs (see below).

Measuring Integral Ecology in the spirit of Laudato Si’:

1. Response to the Cry of the Earth (greater use of clean renewable energy and reducing fossil fuels in order to achieve carbon neutrality, efforts to protect and promote biodiversity, guaranteeing access to clean water for all, etc.)

2. Response to the Cry of the Poor (defence of human life from conception to death and all forms of life on Earth, with special attention to vulnerable groups such as indigenous communities, migrants, children at risk through slavery, etc.)

3. Ecological Economics (sustainable production, Fair-trade, ethical consumption, ethical investments, divestment from fossil fuels and any economic activity harmful to the planet and the people, investment in renewable energy, etc.)

4. Adoption of Simple Lifestyles (sobriety in the use of resources and energy, avoid single-use plastic, adopt a more plant-based diet and reduce meat consumption, greater use of public transport and avoid polluting modes of transportation, etc.)

5. Ecological Education (re-think and re-design educational curricula and educational institution reform in the spirit of integral ecology to create ecological awareness and action, promoting the ecological vocation of young people, teachers and leaders of education etc.)

6. Ecological Spirituality (recover a religious vision of God’s creation, encourage greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise, joy and gratitude, promote creation-centred liturgical celebrations, develop ecological catechesis, prayer, retreats, formation, etc.)

7. Emphasis on Community involvement and participatory action to care for creation at the local, regional, national and international levels (promote advocacy and people’s campaigns, encourage rootedness in local territory and neighbourhood ecosystems, etc.)

Resources were available below for celebrating Laudato Si on Pentecost Sunday.

God of all creation,
Thank you for the gift of our lives
and for the world in which we live.
We thank you for the warmth of the sun in winter,
and a cool breeze in summer.
We thank you for the great diversity of life,
which fills us with wonder and reminds us that we too are creatures.
We pray that we will grow in respect for all life,
and for the Earth itself.
That we will use your gifts with gentleness and wisdom,
not with greed and selfishness.
We pray that our minds and hearts will lead us to an active hope,
as we respond to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor in our time.
May our hope transform humanity,
to take bold action to protect our world.
At this time of Pentecost
may we call on the Holy Spirit to kindle in us the fire of God’s love
and renew the face of the Earth.
May we all be part of that renewal.
We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Here is a link for the latest resource from Caritas Australia to help parishes celebrate Laudato Si’ Week in prayer and action.

For schools, Caritas is also providing live Q&As for students during Laudato Si’ Week – offering the chance to hear from staff, providing students with the opportunity to learn more about their work in climate justice and to ask questions…live!

These 30-minute sessions are hosted by Caritas Australia on Zoom. See timetable and Registration link in the Secondary Resource.