Ireland: Bishop Hayes welcomes start of Laudato si Week

Bishop Martin Hayes Image CCO archive

Source: Irish Catholic Bishops Conference

Bishop Martin Hayes, Bishop of Kilmore and Episcopal Coordinator of Laudato Si' for the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, issued the following statement today for the start of Laudato Si' Week 2026: "Starting today - and for this week - the universal Catholic Church celebrates the 11th anniversary of Laudato Si', the groundbreaking and bestselling encyclical of Pope Francis on 'Care for our Common Home' as reflect on the legacy that it has given our Church, and the world.

"To quote Pope Leo XIV at the 'Raising Hope for Climate Justice' conference in Castel Gandolfo, held near Rome, last October, to celebrate the first decade of the encyclical's publication, 'The challenges identified in Laudato Si' are in fact even more relevant today than they were ten years ago.' This urgency and relevance is echoed in the theme of 2026's Laudato Si' Week: 'From Hope to Action.'

"Hope in Laudato Si' is not passive optimism but an active, faith-filled commitment to ecological conversion and action, affirming that 'much can be done' to repair our common home. We see how this hope is lived out in action in Ireland when we consider the new resource Havens for Nature issued by Ireland's Heritage Council, in collaboration with the Laudato Si' Working Group, for faith communities all over the island of Ireland. The Irish Bishops' Conference have sent a copy to every parish in the country, and bishops encourage parishes to engage with returning 30% of church grounds to nature. This practical care for biodiversity is a response to the invitation of Laudato Si' to hear the cry of the earth and also to hear creation's song. Laudato Si' urges transitioning from a sense of apathy or resignation to concrete, local actions to create a sustainable future.

"Last year the Irish Bishops' Conference backed Trócaire's call on the Government of Ireland to support the Fossil Fuel Treaty (Oct 2025). The recent fossil fuel crisis has highlighted just how dependent the global economy is on the supply of oil and gas in particular. Our current crisis gives more urgency to the need to transition away from fossil fuels and to embrace renewable sources of energy."

Bishop Hayes concluded: "I welcome the news of 30 April, from the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Mr Darragh O'Brien, that Ireland will co-host the 'Second Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels' in 2027 (see Minister O'Brien's announcement below). This priority complements Pope Francis' providential statement that, 'Technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels needs to be progressively replaced without delay'" (Laudato Si',165).

To see activities from Trócaire for Laudato Si' Week, visit: www.trocaire.org/news/laudato-si-week-2026/
For resources for parishes for Laudato Si' Week 2026, visit: www.laudatosiweek.org