Ireland: Bishop Hayes reflects on 10th anniversary of Laudato Si'

Bishop Martin Hayes, Episcopal Coordinator for Laudato Si'. Catholic Communications Office

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' bestselling encyclical, Laudato Si' - on care for our common home Bishop Martin Hayes said: "This week, the tenth anniversary of the publication of the bestselling encyclical letter Laudato Si' - on care for our common home, is tinged with sadness due the death on Easter Monday of Pope Francis who undoubtedly spiritually inspired and educated humanity to care for our common home.

"Of course, we give thanks for the election of Pope Leo XIV by the Holy Spirit as he takes up the challenge to bring social justice and peace to our world. We pray for him as he commences his Petrine ministry in continuity with the championing of the social teaching of the Church by Pope Francis notably in Laudato Si', Fratelli tutti and Laudate Deum.

"In Laudato Si' Pope Francis really emphasised how we are connected to each other and each living being, and how we need to allow all creatures and species on earth to flourish as part of God's creation. He stated, 'Each organism, as a creature of God, is good and admirable in itself' (LS140).

"Pope Francis highlighted how we have disturbed that delicate balance of life with harm done due to pollution and global warming arising from our preoccupation with industrial progress. Pope Francis raised concerns about our continual need to extract from the Earth and our depositing of an ever increasing 'pile of filth' (LS21) on land and sea, thus exacerbating the risks to the diversity of all the species of life. He stated that our throwaway culture (LS22) has diminished our appreciation of the Earth's resources.

"Pope Francis, in the Catholic social teaching of Laudato Si', reminded us of our responsibilities as stewards of creation and highlighted that the cry of the Earth is also the cry of the poor. The harm caused by the industrialised global North is impacting adversely on the developing global South and will affect future generations if not addressed in the short term.

"In Laudato Si' we are offered a way forward via integral ecology, that is, the interconnectedness of environmental, economic, political, social, and cultural issues. We must address what has been described by Father Sean McDonagh as the most serious moral issue of our time - the destruction of our environment and of biodiversity. While Laudato Si' has raised awareness of global ecological destruction Father McDonagh asks 'are we addressing the issue with the required urgency?' According to Pope Francis, we must act together, as citizens of the Earth, as politicians, economists, scientists, entrepreneurs, farmers, people of faith and of no faith - hence, Laudato Si' is addressed to all people of good will.

"The call by Pope Francis is to address the climate change issue from within our place in creation, that is, within the context of the interconnectedness of all creation, the realisation that we are not separate from creation (LS 138-139). He emphasised that we have received the Earth on loan (LS159), that we must reduce our use of fossil fuels and be content with less growth in our economies (LS193). It means seeing our ecology as the basis for our economic planning rather than the reverse.

"The focus of the late Pope was on education on care for our common home and on deepening our spirituality which is intimately connected with all of creation. We can be overwhelmed by the science of climate change and indeed, we become immune to the fact and figures. We have our faith communities which form our values that can therefore inform our choices about life. (1) We must ask ourselves what is life-giving, and what is destroying or threatening life, all the diversity of life? We must decide what is it that fills our restlessness or 'our emptiness of heart' (LS204) spoken of by Pope Francis.

"He makes it clear that the urge to consume more will not satisfy us, therefore, we are called, to an ecological conversion, to find our rest in God, to 'a new path of authentic freedom' (LS205). It is a call to move from preoccupation with self to others and to care of the Earth. Pope Francis called for a lifestyle change on the part of each of us as individuals and for a community conversion rooted in an acknowledgement of the harm that we have caused. This community conversion can be initiated with liturgies of thanksgiving for creation which bring out the wonder of each species and of their interrelationships leading to an appreciation of the gift of creation from God. We must always remember, that while humanity has made much progress, 'we are not God' (LS67).

"Rather we are called to celebrate creation and give praise to our Creator. In Laudate Deum, Pope Francis teaches that our faith calls us to recognise our interconnected relationship with our natural world. In realising that 'our world sings of infinite Love' (LD65) we can renew our obligation to care for our Common Home."

Bishop Hayes concluded with this call to action, "You can respond as a parish, diocese, congregation, faith group to the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si' on Care for our Common Home in practical ways using the following resources:

1. to the 30% Return to Nature in church grounds initiative on the Irish Catholic Bishops' website at: www.catholicbishops.ie/laudato-si/returning-to-nature/

2. by contacting the Trócaire Laudato Si' Officer, Róisín Alexander-Pye, at roisin.pye@trocaire.org, or by visiting www.laudatosimovement.org

"During this Laudato Si' Week you are also invited to send your 'LSi'Week' events for inclusion on the global map - www.laudatosiweek.org

"You are welcome to make contact with your local parish priest, bishop, diocesan office and the Biodiversity Officer in your county at their council offices regarding the '30% Return to Nature' initiative."