Introducing the Laudato Si Action Platform

Posted byPaulPosted incarbon footprint, Laudato Si, Laudato Si In Action, ResourcesTags:, ,

As I have written about before, in May of 2015 Pope Francis released his Laudato Si encyclical (tinyurl.com/ReadLaudatoSi). The encyclical addresses climate change, climate injustice, and the care for creation. In the encyclical, Our Holy Father implores us to listen to “both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” and to act to save our common home, but the encyclical provides no action plan.

The Vatican’s Laudato Si Action Platform (LSAP), released in the Fall of 2021, provides an action plan. Quoting from the LSAP website (laudatosiactionplatform.org), the platform offers:

  • Laudato Si Planning Guides, which your institution, community, or family can use to discern and implement your response to Laudato Si
  • A process-oriented approach that responds to the charism of your institution, community, or family
  • Guidance on actions that help build a better future through the Laudato Si Goals
  • Recognition of your progress

Like the virtues, the LSAP revolves around the number seven. It is designed for 7 sectors (audiences) to target 7 goals over 7 years. The seven goals are:

  1. Response to the cry of the earth
  2. Response to the cry of the poor
  3. Ecological economics
  4. Adoption of sustainable lifestyles
  5. Ecological education
  6. Ecological spirituality
  7. Community resilience and empowerment

You might be wondering who the LSAP was created for. The answer is everyone! Materials have been prepared for each of the seven sectors, including individuals/families, parishes, and schools.

In fact, St John the Evangelist signed on to the LSAP in 2022 and has been working to complete its first year of the plan. As mentioned, the LSAP is a journey for seven years, with each year consisting of three phases: reflect, act, and evaluate. I will share more about the platform and St John’s journey in the coming weeks. 

In the meantime, I encourage you to embrace the Laudato Si Action Plan at the individual or family level. It’s easy: visit the website at laudatosiactionplatform.org and click on the Enroll button to start your journey. If you have any questions about LSAP, feel free to contact me.

Working together, we can help take care of our common home.

Paul Litwin

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