Laudato Si ~ Praise Be To You
"We as a congregation need to lead the way as said by our present Pope in Laudato Si’ … Our prime focus is to be in tune with the planet and to understand what it means – that all live has a right to live on this planet…." "
~ Congregation Leader Br Peter Clinch, March 2022
Laudato Si’ Week 2022, to be held in Australia in May 16-24, marks the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on creation care. The global celebration which unites Catholics urges us to listen and respond together to the cry of creation and rejoice in bringing Laudato Si’ to life.
What is Laudato Si?
Laudato Si' refers to the encyclical written by Pope Francis in 2015 and the words “Laudato Si’” are Italian for “praise be to you.” These words are part of a quotation from St. Francis of Assisi's “Canticle of the Creatures” in which he praises God by rejoicing in the goodness of sun, wind, Earth and water, and other natural forces
Laudato Si' is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. It has the subtitle "on care for our common home". In it, Pope Francis critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, deplores environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take "swift and unified global action."
What are the 7 Goals of Laudato Si’?
The seven goals of Laudato Si's theme of integral ecology include: response to the cry of the Earth; response to the cry of the poor; ecological economics; adoption of simple lifestyles; ecological education; ecological spirituality; and emphasis on community involvement and participatory action.
What are the values of Laudato Si?
Laudato Si' inspires our mission as Catholics. As followers of Jesus, our decisions are guided by Scriptures and Catholic Social Teaching. We recognise the value of caring for God's creation in our faith tradition and our Christian lives. These values are also in line with the Charism of the Blessed Edmund Rice - presence, compassion and liberation.
Presence in that we are present among and stand in solidarity with those who are victims of any form of disadvantage, marginalisation and exclusion. Compassion in how we respond with compassion, which refuses to accept global poverty and suffering and which awakens us to our responsibilities and compels us to take action. And Liberation in that compassion by definition demands action to address injustice and a strong commitment to justice is the foundation for a peaceful world.
These guiding principles inform the Christian Brothers work as they engage with and are present to all people with humility, empathy, and an open heart.
What is the cry of the earth?
In the Encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis correlates the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. Cry can mean the feeling of pain and suffering, the experience of sadness and loss calling out for relief and sympathy.
Laudato Si’ in Australia
Why are the dates for the celebration of Laudato Si’ Week in Australia different from those on the international Laudato Si’ Week website? Last May the Australian Bishops decided to celebrate Laudato Si’ Week from 16 – 24 May during each year of their seven-year Laudato Si’ Action Plan journey. These dates allow both Laudato Si’ Week, and National Reconciliation Week from 27 May – 3 June, to be celebrated appropriately by Australian Catholics.
"We must regain the conviction that we need one another, that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and that being good and decent are worth it. We have had enough of immorality and the mockery of ethics, goodness, faith and honesty. It is time to acknowledge that light-hearted superficiality has done us no good. When the foundations of social life are corroded, what ensues are battles over conflicting interests, new forms of violence and brutality, and obstacles to the growth of a genuine culture of care for the environment…. "
~ Pope Francis, 2015
