Welcome to the celebration of the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’!
Pope Francis invites us to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si' from May 24, 2020 to May 24, 2021 - a whole year! There are many ways you can participate from home on your own, with your family, or virtually with your group, parish or community. Join us!
This year we as people of faith can elevate creation care and learn, act, and pray. Climate change is an existential threat to God’s creation and the world has never been so ready for the U.S. Catholic community to step up and take climate action.
We’re also in a moment of crisis in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. As new economies and new ways of caring for the most vulnerable arise, we have a critical opportunity to come together to ensure the new way of life is better than what came before. Laudato Si’ teaches us how to create a more just and sustainable world together.
Outlined below are some of the activities, prayers and resources from Catholic Climate Covenant and our partners inspired by Laudato Si’ to learn and take action on Care for Creation today.
Activities
Take the St. Francis/Laudato Si’ Pledge to care for creation and the poor
Take the St. Francis/Laudato Si' Pledge to mark the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home. By taking the pledge, you (re)commit to living out the vision of the encyclical and our Catholic faith through prayer, concrete action, and advocacy. Get started on your journey to care for creation and the poor now!
Hope for Creation
Hope for Creation: A Virtual Celebration of Earth Day and Laudato Si’
Submit prayers, meditations, stories, essays, statements, reflections, art, poems, songs, photos, videos, etc. that lift your love and hope for God’s creation!
The submissions are rolling in, and they are wonderful!
Prayer cards and daily reflections from USCCB
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has produced a new prayer card in English and Spanish, which can be downloaded, and offers an updated Laudato Si’ study guide, a one-page bulletin insert, and daily reflections for the week. Find more Laudato Si’ resources from USCCB and receive daily reflections with ways to pray, learn, and act to care for God’s creation here.
Laudato Si' Special Anniversary Year
The Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has announced a Special Laudato Si’ Anniversary Year from May 24th 2020 – May 24th 2021.
The anniversary year began at the end of Laudato Si’ Week 2020, and will proceed with several initiatives, realized in phases and partnership and with a clear emphasis on “ecological conversion” through “action” responses at all levels - local, regional, national and international – through families, parishes, dioceses, community groups, and others.
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 throughout the year for Laudato Si’ at 5 celebrations.
The program is also available in Spanish.
More activities for Laudato Si' from Catholic Climate Covenant partners
View additional virtual activities and resources to help celebrate the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si' from some of our 19 national Catholic partners, together helping guide the U.S. Church's response to climate change by educating, giving public witness, and offering resources.
More Resources
Meditation on Creation
A Meditation on Creation: a short meditation prayer card for individual, families, parishes, and schools from Catholic Climate Covenant that you can download in English or Spanish for Laudato Si’ week or anytime of your choosing.
"God of all creation, your goodness and glory shine forth through everything you have made. Through the light of faith, help us to see this world, our common home ..."
About Laudato Si’
Pope Francis signed “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home” on May 24, 2015, and it was widely released on June 18, 2015. The Laudato Si’ (May You be Praised) encyclical started new conversations on how we can fulfill our duty to care for Creation by highlighting climate change as a moral issue.
Find other Laudato Si’ resources from Catholic Climate Covenant and our partners below.
Ideas on Climate Actions
Catholic Climate Covenant has compiled a list of possible climate actions you might consider taking as an individual and/or as a community to get started on your journey to help heal God’s creation. These actions can help lower your carbon footprint or make yourself and others aware of climate vulnerabilities. Get ideas (and links to resources) below. You can also use the ideas to fill in your specific Climate Action 2020 pledge there.
Tree Planting Service and Prayer Card
From the Catholic Health Association of the United States, please enjoy this Tree Planting Service and accompanying Prayer in Honor of the 5th Anniversary of Laudato Si'.
From the Carmelite NGO, this nine-day Novena for Creation is specifically designed to be used in honor of the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si'.
