杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff reporter

鈥淭o inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice鈥�: with its new mission statement, the , originally known as the Global Catholic Climate Movement outlines its new objectives as it enters a new phase of its work for the environment.

The birth of the Movement

The Movement was founded in 2015 by a group of 17 Catholic organizations and 12 representatives of academic institutions and civil society from all continents, and is committed to helping the faithful respond to the exhortations of 杏MAP导航 Francis' encyclical on the care of the common home, published that same year. Today, six years later, the Laudato sí Movement includes more than 800 diverse entities. Recently, the Movement undertook 鈥渁 journey of discernment over 18 months long.鈥� Tomás Insua, co-founder and executive director of that reality, explained to Vatican News that the journey was a reflection on identity, mission, name and structures that compose the movement.

鈥淲hat emerged was that the name Global Catholic Climate Movement, which served us well in the very beginning, didn鈥檛 reflect the broad work in support of the Laudato sí encyclical that we were doing,鈥� Insua said. 鈥淪o after a long discernment process that included a consultation of our members at and our key partners 鈥� we ended up discerning that the name should be Laudato si Movement.鈥� He said, 鈥淭he name intends to reflect better the work, the more holistic work to care for our common home that we have been doing in recent years. The broader work of integral ecology and ecological conversion, that we are doing in the service of Laudato si.鈥� The new name was chosen from a list of 25 possibilities.

Lorna Gold, president of the board of directors, who introduced the changes in an online meeting on Thursday, emphasized, 鈥淚t is important to note that the mission is being broadened to include the concept of ecological justice, based on the spirit of Laudato si鈥�, where 鈥榚verything is interconnected鈥�.鈥�

The new logo for the Laudato si' Movement

鈥淭hank you鈥� from the 杏MAP导航

As the Movement continues the process of renewal, 杏MAP导航 Francis himself offered words of encouragement. Insua told Vatican News that the Movement had written to the Holy Father informing him of the discernment process and seeking his input; and asking for his blessing before moving forward and changing the name. The 杏MAP导航 wrote a brief response which arrived on the Vigil of Pentecost, 鈥渨hich was a very strong sign,鈥� Insua said. He noted that the discernment process had 鈥渂een characterized by an atmosphere of synodal prayer, asking for light from the Holy Spirit.鈥� In his message, the 杏MAP导航 thanked the movement for its mission of promoting integral ecology and for the assistance it offered to the Church and the world. Insua noted, too, 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� hope that Laudato sí might not remain on the library shelf, but might become a living document.

The words of 杏MAP导航 Francis for the Laudato si' Movement

Bringing Laudato sí to communities

In addition to its new name and new mission statement, the Laudato sí Movement also discerned a new identity statement which re-affirms its self-understanding as 鈥渁 hybrid movement that brings together both organizations and grassroots members.鈥� The new identity statement reads:

GCCM seeks to be a Spirit-led movement that brings Catholics together to fulfill its stated mission [listed above]. The movement brings together a wide range of Catholic (1) organizations and (2) grassroots members from around the world. These members walk together in synodality and communion with the universal Church on a journey of ecological conversion. Seeking unity in diversity, organizational and grassroots members come together to pray, collaborate and mobilize in response to the 鈥渃ry of the earth and the cry of the poor.鈥� Guided by a spirit of subsidiarity, when the time and context are right, they co-create or engage with local Laudato Si鈥� Circles and Chapters and connect with the global movement on a wide range of initiatives to bring Laudato Si鈥� to life.

In a statement announcing the changes, the Laudato sí Movement said, 鈥淲ith a new name, better-defined values, and a clearer mission statement, [the Movement] looks forward to amplifying how Catholics and people of good will all over the world bring Laudato si鈥� to life every day in their communities.鈥�

A young member of the Movement at Assisi