杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

On Sunday, it will be exactly 5 years of this popular document, which has been a point of reference not only for the Church and Christians but also for governments, politicians, world bodies, including the United Nations, as well as environmental groups and movements worldwide.

鈥淟audato Sì鈥� Week

Addressing his viewers and listeners during the midday Regina Caeli prayer on Sunday, May 17, 杏MAP导航 Francis announced the start of the 鈥淟audato Sì鈥� Week across the world that will conclude on the anniversary day, Sunday, May 24.  

鈥淚n these times of the pandemic, in which we are more aware of the importance of care for our common home,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 hope that all the common reflection and commitment may help to create and strengthen constructive attitudes for the care of creation.鈥�

Special Laudato Si鈥� Anniversary Year

The Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development that is promoting the week has also announced the celebration of a Special 鈥淟audato Si鈥� Anniversary Year, which runs from May 24, 2020 to May 24, 2021.

Father Joshtrom Kureethadam is the Coordinator of the Sector on Ecology and Creation, which functions under the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.  

Crises of 鈥淥ur Common Home鈥�

Presenting the Special Laudato Si鈥� Anniversary Year, the Salesian priest said that the context of this year is 鈥渢he precarious state of 鈥極ur Common Home鈥欌��, which 杏MAP导航 Francis speaks about in 鈥楲audato Si鈥�.鈥� The Holy Father asks, 鈥淲hat kind of world do we want to leave those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?鈥�  

The Indian priest said that scientists have been warning about the 鈥減recarious state of the earth Our Common Home鈥�. He pointed to the 鈥渢ragic experiences of so many vulnerable communities around the world鈥�. Children have been getting out onto the streets 鈥渢o tell us that we cannot steal their future鈥�.

With the advent of the Covid-19 emergency, the Indian priest said, the world came to realize how 鈥渋nterdependent and interconnected鈥� humanity is, and the need for 鈥渟olidarity in order to create a new world鈥�.

鈥淎ll these crises can be an opportunity, a moment of grace to begin anew and build a world together, responding to the invitation of 杏MAP导航 Francis.鈥�  

Thus, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has planned a slew of events and celebrations, starting with the 鈥淟audato Sì鈥� Week. 

Unfortunately, Father Kureethadam lamented the Covid-19 pandemic will force most of them online.

Laudato Si鈥� Anniversary Year programme

The Special Laudato Si鈥� Anniversary Year will kick off on Sunday, May 24, with a special midday prayer across the world. The Salesian priest mentioned some of the initiatives his Sector on Ecology and Creation has scheduled during the anniversary year.  

The 鈥淪eason of Creation鈥� will run from September 1 - October 4. 鈥淩einventing the Global Educational Alliance鈥� (15 October) and the 鈥淓conomy of Francesco鈥� meeting (21 November) have been postponed.  

In 2021, the 鈥淲orld Economic Forum, Davos 鈥� Third Vatican Roundtable鈥� has been scheduled from 26-29 January.  

A gathering of religious leaders has been scheduled for early spring and World Water Day will be marked on March 22.  

Towards the conclusion of the Anniversary Year, Father Kureethadam said there will be an international conference, a musical is being readied and conferring of 鈥淟audato Si鈥� awards.  

The Indian priest also mentioned a few special projects that the Sector on Ecology and Creation is working on, such as a documentary film on 鈥淟audato Si鈥�, 鈥溾�橪audato Si鈥� Living Chapels鈥� and 鈥溾�橪audato Si鈥� Institutes Network鈥�.

In the Sahel, he said, they have already started the 鈥淟audato Tree Initiative鈥�, about which 杏MAP导航 Francis spoke on Sunday. There is also an interesting initiative called the 鈥淧lastic Bank鈥� to fight plastic pollution, and a Bible Quiz.  

It is an open-ended list, which will be updated and revised from time to time as the year progresses. Father Kureethadam invited people to make suggestions and proposals which will be welcome.  

7-year 鈥淟audato Si鈥� Action Platform

The priest said that the conclusion of the 鈥淟audato Si鈥� Anniversary Year will see the launch of a 鈥淟audato Si鈥� Action Platform that will simultaneously address 7 areas of interest for a period of 7 years. These areas are families, dioceses, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses and religious orders.  

They will be asked to make the 7-year journey in the spirit of 鈥淟audato Si鈥� to ultimately become 鈥淟audato Si鈥� dioceses or schools.  

Fr. Kureethadam explained that the first batch of some 500 dioceses or schools will begin the journey in 2021. The following year, 2022, another group of dioceses, schools will be asked to start a 7-year journey. So the number will grow exponentially from year to year over the coming decade.

From 2021 onwards, the Sector on Ecology and Creation also plans to confer 7 awards, such Outstanding 鈥淟audato Si鈥� Leader, Outstanding Laudato Si鈥� Local Animator and Outstanding Laudato Si鈥� Family.  

Acting together

Father Kureethadam thus invited all to 鈥渁ct together to save Our Common Home, to create a new birth, a new common home, to restore the eco-systems, to build up solidarity among ourselves鈥�.  

He urged that current crises, such as climate change and the Covid-19, be a 鈥渏ubilee time for humanity, for all of God鈥檚 creatures鈥� during the Special Laudato Si鈥� Anniversary Year and the decade to come.