Five years ago, Laudato Si’ summarised centuries of Catholic teaching in the context of our current human and ecological crisis. Since then, thousands of communities have prayed and acted to protect creation and our vulnerable sisters in brothers. Now, Catholic communities are invited to build on the efforts of the last five years to take more ambitious action for the years to come.
Caring for creation and the poorest and most vulnerable can bring peace to your spirit while protecting the home we share. Bishop Mark O’Toole will be sharing a reflection on Saturday 16 May to mark the start of the week. There is a lot of great work already happening in our Diocese and examples will be shared on the Plymouth Diocese website and Facebook page during Laudato Si’ week.
CAFOD and Caritas Plymouth have also put together a few simple ways to care for creation, even in the midst of the current pandemic:
- Proclaim the Gospel through your lifestyle and shopping habits. Try to buy products that are as ethical as possible, that don’t harm producers human dignity/rights or damage creation, such as Fairtrade and/or organic certified ones. For more information visit fairtrade.org.uk and www.thegoodshoppingguide.com
- Share and use the Common Prayer
- As you prepare food at home, consider plant-based meals to grow in simplicity. If you are isolated with a friend or family member, invite him or her to prepare the meal with you or to say a prayer of blessing.
- Care for creation around your home by beginning to compost.
- Plant a garden. Whether it’s a vegetable garden to feed your family and your neighbours, a pollinator garden to feed bees and butterflies, or a simple potted plant, tending a place in God’s creation reminds us of the connections we share
Coming together in a time of Coronavirus is more challenging but we can still act in solidarity with our global family, including through the global moment of prayer at noon local time on 24 May. There are lots of resources on the Laudato Si’ and CAFOD websites. Caritas Plymouth will also be posting reflections on Facebook, Twitter and the website throughout the week.