Pope Francis’s passing comes during the 10th anniversary of the publication of his groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home – which examined Catholic environmental teaching in the light of today’s planetary crisis. Over the past 10 years, Pope Francis’s leadership has borne initiatives that have transformed the Catholic Church into a powerful force for action on the planetary crisis and have had an influence far beyond the Church itself.
From the start Pope Francis, in choosing the name Francis of Assisi, indicated that his papacy would have a strong focus on the themes of environmental action and peace. No Pope had ever before chosen to take the name Francis in the 800 years since the saint was alive. Taking that name came with a certain weight of responsibility to emulate a saint revered by so many and known for his simple living and fraternal love – in stark contrast with the perceived opulence of the Vatican. Taking the name Francis raised expectations that he would use his papacy to speak to the pressing issues of environmental destruction, global inequality and violence.
Development
It was not too long into his papacy that word spread that an environmental encyclical or letter was under development. Many prominent Catholic theologians and scientists were deeply involved in the drafting process, ensuring that the new Papal document was at once consistent with Catholic teaching and the most up to date science, especially on climate change. The outcome was ‘Laudato Si’’ – which means ‘Praise Be’ – taken from the first line of St Francis most famous poem, the Canticle of Creation. The by-line was ‘On Care for our Common Home’ – recalling the Bruntland Commission Report Our Common Future which addressed very similar themes almost 40 years previously.
Since then, environmental action in the Catholic Church has continued to grow”
Laudato Si’ was published to great acclaim in May 2015 ahead of negotiations for the Paris agreement in May 2015, and Pope Francis engaged in diplomacy to ensure the accord’s passage and key inclusion of a reference to keeping global temperatures below the threshold of 1.5C. This inclusion has had a significant impact on ensuring climate ambition since. The agreement passed, and the Holy See is now a full party to it and an active player in seeking to raise ambition amongst countries to honour their commitments made in Paris.
Since then, environmental action in the Catholic Church has continued to grow. The Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which was launched by Pope Francis, has spurred Catholic institutions to develop practical plans for action on ecology, touching 20 million people to date and engaging a wide range of significant Catholic institutions worldwide in concrete commitments to sustainability. Care for creation has become an increasingly important part of how Catholics live their faith. The ecumenical Season of Creation and annual Laudato Si’ Week, which are co-sponsored by the Vatican, and World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation are examples of how the message is now mainstream in Catholic faith life, for which Pope Francis issued annual messages, engage millions of people each year in prayer and action for our common home on these occasions.
Inspiration
Along the way Pope Francis inspired many other faiths leaders and faithful to take action for creation, breathing new life into the global ‘faith environment’ movement which is a key avenue also for inter-faith cooperation and dialogue. Faith-led action on environment has increased significantly since 2015. In 2021 Pope Francis hosted 50 faith leaders at the Vatican ahead of COP21 in Glasgow which led to a groundbreaking multi-faith statement. Other significant developments include including the by publication of Al Mizan, which is known as the ‘Muslim Laudato Si’’.
The organisation’s documentary featuring Pope Francis and frontline leaders has been seen by well over 10 million people”
Laudato Si’ was also the inspiration which launched the Global Catholic Climate Movement, renamed Laudato Si’ Movement by Pope Francis himself in 2020. This global movement as trained over 20,000 environmental leaders (Laudato Si’ Animators) across 140 countries to lead community-based initiatives within the Church. It now has flourishing chapters across the globe and is active on many fronts greening the Church from the bottom up and joining climate campaigns. The organisation’s documentary featuring Pope Francis and frontline leaders has been seen by well over 10 million people and is free to watch on YouTube. It was premiered here in Ireland by President Michael D Higgins in the Aras in November 2022.
Legacy
Over the past decade I have been blessed to meet with Pope Francis on many occasions to discuss Laudato Si’, most recently in late January on the announcement of my appointment as the new leader of Laudato Si’ Movement. Each encounter with him has been very special and filled me with hope and courage. He always came over as someone incredible, sharp but also humble. Despite his growing frailty he always had a smile, a joke (this time about my Italian!) and a word of encouragement. His parting words to me in January “Vai avanti” – ‘keep going’ as he squeezed my hand tight – will now stay with me forever.
He underscored that care for creation is an integral part of the Christian vocation”
Pope Francis contribution to this work will be sorely missed. Pope Francis has been a global leader on the environment. However, caring for the environment has been embedded in Catholic teaching and there is a new emphasis on this aspect of faith in light of the global ecological crisis. He underscored that care for creation is an integral part of the Christian vocation and a shared responsibility to the poor and future generations. It is now a legacy he has left for us to continue.
*
Dr Lorna Gold is the Executive Director for the Laudato Si’ Movement.
Pope Francis’ legacy of care for creation lives on
Pope Francis’s passing comes during the 10th anniversary of the publication of his groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home – which examined Catholic environmental teaching in the light of today’s planetary crisis. Over the past 10 years, Pope Francis’s leadership has borne initiatives that have transformed the Catholic Church into a powerful force for action on the planetary crisis and have had an influence far beyond the Church itself.
From the start Pope Francis, in choosing the name Francis of Assisi, indicated that his papacy would have a strong focus on the themes of environmental action and peace. No Pope had ever before chosen to take the name Francis in the 800 years since the saint was alive. Taking that name came with a certain weight of responsibility to emulate a saint revered by so many and known for his simple living and fraternal love – in stark contrast with the perceived opulence of the Vatican. Taking the name Francis raised expectations that he would use his papacy to speak to the pressing issues of environmental destruction, global inequality and violence.
Development
It was not too long into his papacy that word spread that an environmental encyclical or letter was under development. Many prominent Catholic theologians and scientists were deeply involved in the drafting process, ensuring that the new Papal document was at once consistent with Catholic teaching and the most up to date science, especially on climate change. The outcome was ‘Laudato Si’’ – which means ‘Praise Be’ – taken from the first line of St Francis most famous poem, the Canticle of Creation. The by-line was ‘On Care for our Common Home’ – recalling the Bruntland Commission Report Our Common Future which addressed very similar themes almost 40 years previously.
Laudato Si’ was published to great acclaim in May 2015 ahead of negotiations for the Paris agreement in May 2015, and Pope Francis engaged in diplomacy to ensure the accord’s passage and key inclusion of a reference to keeping global temperatures below the threshold of 1.5C. This inclusion has had a significant impact on ensuring climate ambition since. The agreement passed, and the Holy See is now a full party to it and an active player in seeking to raise ambition amongst countries to honour their commitments made in Paris.
Since then, environmental action in the Catholic Church has continued to grow. The Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which was launched by Pope Francis, has spurred Catholic institutions to develop practical plans for action on ecology, touching 20 million people to date and engaging a wide range of significant Catholic institutions worldwide in concrete commitments to sustainability. Care for creation has become an increasingly important part of how Catholics live their faith. The ecumenical Season of Creation and annual Laudato Si’ Week, which are co-sponsored by the Vatican, and World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation are examples of how the message is now mainstream in Catholic faith life, for which Pope Francis issued annual messages, engage millions of people each year in prayer and action for our common home on these occasions.
Inspiration
Along the way Pope Francis inspired many other faiths leaders and faithful to take action for creation, breathing new life into the global ‘faith environment’ movement which is a key avenue also for inter-faith cooperation and dialogue. Faith-led action on environment has increased significantly since 2015. In 2021 Pope Francis hosted 50 faith leaders at the Vatican ahead of COP21 in Glasgow which led to a groundbreaking multi-faith statement. Other significant developments include including the by publication of Al Mizan, which is known as the ‘Muslim Laudato Si’’.
Laudato Si’ was also the inspiration which launched the Global Catholic Climate Movement, renamed Laudato Si’ Movement by Pope Francis himself in 2020. This global movement as trained over 20,000 environmental leaders (Laudato Si’ Animators) across 140 countries to lead community-based initiatives within the Church. It now has flourishing chapters across the globe and is active on many fronts greening the Church from the bottom up and joining climate campaigns. The organisation’s documentary featuring Pope Francis and frontline leaders has been seen by well over 10 million people and is free to watch on YouTube. It was premiered here in Ireland by President Michael D Higgins in the Aras in November 2022.
Legacy
Over the past decade I have been blessed to meet with Pope Francis on many occasions to discuss Laudato Si’, most recently in late January on the announcement of my appointment as the new leader of Laudato Si’ Movement. Each encounter with him has been very special and filled me with hope and courage. He always came over as someone incredible, sharp but also humble. Despite his growing frailty he always had a smile, a joke (this time about my Italian!) and a word of encouragement. His parting words to me in January “Vai avanti” – ‘keep going’ as he squeezed my hand tight – will now stay with me forever.
Pope Francis contribution to this work will be sorely missed. Pope Francis has been a global leader on the environment. However, caring for the environment has been embedded in Catholic teaching and there is a new emphasis on this aspect of faith in light of the global ecological crisis. He underscored that care for creation is an integral part of the Christian vocation and a shared responsibility to the poor and future generations. It is now a legacy he has left for us to continue.
*
Dr Lorna Gold is the Executive Director for the Laudato Si’ Movement.
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