FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2020
Media Contact: Elena Gaona
202-907-9717 | elena@catholicclimatecovenant.org
U.S. Catholics celebrate 5th anniversary of Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home
Vatican-sponsored Laudato Si' Week (May 16-24) includes virtual activities and Global Day of Prayer to engage faithful in caring for environment and building a better world together
Washington, DC – Next week, Catholics around the country and around the world will celebrate the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical letter Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home through prayer, education, and online activities. The document, addressed to all peoples, started an urgent conversation on how we can fulfill our duty to care for Creation and embrace the ecological, theological, economic, social, and political dimensions as an interconnected web toward that goal.
Laudato Si’ Week, May 16-24, will be celebrated with the theme “Everything is Connected.” The weeklong celebration is sponsored by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and led by a cohort of Catholic partners. Online activities by U.S. Catholic groups include participation in the Global Day of Prayer on May 24th; prayer gatherings from home; small parish, group or family discussions with downloaded materials; and attending seminars on various topics such as sustainability.
“Catholics around the nation will gather in fellowship with our brothers and sisters across the world. We will be praying, reflecting and preparing for better days ahead, and for the courage and wisdom to work for transformative change to heal our planet and its people,” said Daniel Misleh, founding executive director of Catholic Climate Covenant. “We are living in a threshold time where we can catch glimpses of something new. Each one of us should ask, what will be on the other side of this pandemic? How might we think and act differently?”
The lessons of the encyclical can provide a path forward as societies emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought many parts of the world to a halt. Laudato Si’ offers a vision for building a more just and sustainable world. Catholic Climate Covenant and its 19 national Catholic partners invite everyone to participate in this global initiative and use the teachings of Laudato Si’ to guide our actions as we struggle, grow and transform through this crisis together.
“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who will come after us, to children who are growing up?” Pope Francis said in his video message encouraging participation. “I renew my urgent call to respond to the ecological crisis, the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor cannot continue. Let's take care of creation, a gift of our good Creator God.”
Activities and resources for Laudato Si’ Week
Find these and many more U.S. and global activities and resources from Catholic partners to celebrate Laudato Si’ Week, May 16-24, at www.laudatosiweek.org and at www.catholicclimatecovenant.org.
Global Day of Prayer May 24
Participate in the highlight for Laudato Si’ Week: a Global Day of Prayer on May 24 at Noon (wherever you are,) including prayer cards and other resources from the Vatican. We join with our partners including Global Catholic Climate Movement for this and many other special activities May 16-24, including reflection, preparation, prayer and solidarity. Find out more and register: https://laudatosiweek.org
Virtual Laudato Si’ Program May 16-24
Catholic Climate Covenant’s Earth Day/Laudato Si’ 2020 program, Earth Day at 50/Laudato Si’ at 5: An Urgent Appeal for Action, is available for download for individuals, families and small groups to use from home. The program was designed to be used for Laudato Si’ at 5 celebrations. The program is also available in Spanish.
Daily reflections May 16-24
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offers a new prayer card, an updated Laudato Si’ study guide, a one-page bulletin insert, and daily reflections for the week. Find more Laudato Si’ resources from USCCB here:http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/environment/index.cfm
Novena prayers from home May 16-24
The Novena from Carmelite NGO is specifically designed to be used over the 9 days of Laudato Si' Week. Download the nine-day prayer program: https://catholicclimateproject.org/activity/novena-creation-may-16-may-24
###
About Catholic Climate Covenant: Catholic Climate Covenant inspires and equips people and institutions to care for creation and care for the poor. Through our 19 national partners, we guide the U.S. Church's response to climate change by educating, giving public witness, and offering resources.