At the invitation of the Vatican Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, where our companion Cardinal Michael Czerny is working, groups, networks and organizations of the Society of Jesus are joining with many others to mark the 5^th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecological issues.

Among the partners of the global event are the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES), EcoJesuit, the Jesuit African Network for Ecology, CVX-CLC (Christian Life Community), Gesuiti Educazione, in addition to national partners in various countries. The Social Apostolate and Communications Offices of the Jesuit Conferences also are promoting the Laudato Si’ Week, as CPAL did in its last bulletin.

When is it? From 16 to 23 May, with a “finale” on Sunday, 24 May, which will invite all participants to prayer at noon, local time.

One week? No, more than a week! It is an invitation to Catholics to participate in an initiative that opens an adventure of a full year of transformation as we move into the heart of a global crisis. An adventure that involves prayer, reflection and preparation, together, towards a better world for tomorrow.

The lessons of Pope Francis’ encyclical - one of the few Vatican documents that has had an impact around the world, far beyond the Catholic circle - are particularly relevant in the context of the coronavirus pandemic that has brought large parts of the world to a standstill. Laudato Si’ offers a vision, perspectives for building a more just and sustainable world.

As Xavier Jeyaraj SJ, Secretary for Social Justice and Ecology, points out: “Laudato Si’ was and is a prophetic text that energizes, builds bridges and gives new hope to everyone. At this time of the Covid-19 crisis, we can recognize the prophetic words of Laudato Si’ that invited us to acknowledge the fragility of our science, technology and intelligence and encouraged us to wonder at the beauty of creation and our interconnectedness.”

The theme of the week is very simple and very powerful at the same time: “Everything is connected.”

Look at the Pope’s short message on this occasion in which he calls for commitment to the future of our “common home.”

More information is available at: https://laudatosiweek.org

Jesuit institutions, parishes, communities are therefore invited to be creative, in many cases using virtual means of encounter - since gatherings are not possible in most countries of the world - to make the young and not so young people vibrate together in this connectivity that unites the world. This spirit also allows them to live the spirit of the Gospel: to go out of oneself to serve, to help one another, to build together the future of a planet that needs all these connections to breathe and share life.

An example of this creativity in the Province of Spain is the publication of a series of four leaflets for prayer and animation under the theme "Ecological Conversion":

1. The Gospel of Creation;
2. The human roots of the ecological crisis;
3. Conversion means being attracted;
4. Conversion: Where to and How?

Click here to access it (in Spanish).