{"id":9087,"date":"2016-01-07T07:42:21","date_gmt":"2016-01-07T07:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/?p=9087"},"modified":"2016-07-18T08:02:15","modified_gmt":"2016-07-18T08:02:15","slug":"caring-for-creation-caring-for-our-common-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/caring-for-creation-caring-for-our-common-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Laudato Si’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Living Laudato Si’<\/h1>\n
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I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically…\u00a0who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0– Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 10<\/em><\/a><\/h5>\n

Want to live a life of integrity,\u00a0 attuned to nature and with compassion for those around us?\u00a0 <\/strong>The Justice and Peace Office have some ideas for living the teaching of Laudato Si’.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Live sustainably and reduce your carbon footprint<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0For parishes,\u00a0consider joining the National Energy Efficiency Network (NEEN)<\/a> and check out the resources on the Global Catholic Climate Movement website<\/a>. There is also an\u00a0American website collating online guides<\/a>, which you might find interesting.\u00a0 There are lots of small choices we can make, such as using public transport, reducing energy and water\u00a0consumption, moving to renewable sources of energy, and recycling items where possible.<\/li>\n
  2. Catholics have long fasted on Fridays, especially during lent. \u00a0As one of the consequences of meat consumption is an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, consider taking up or returning to this practice by having a ‘Meatless Friday’<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0There is also an interfaith ‘Fast for the Climate’ <\/a>on the first day of each month. \u00a0You can find more information from Catholic Earthcare Australia<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. Pray for the care of creation and for our individual and collective ability to act as responsible stewards of creation.\u00a0\u00a0Consider including\u00a0specific prayer intentions in your personal prayers and in your community’s liturgy.\u00a0 For inspiration, read:\u00a0 Fr Eugene Stockton’s prayer,\u00a0‘Covenant with this Land’<\/a> on the Catholic Earthcare Australia website; St Francis of Assisi’s\u00a0 prayer, the Canticle of the Creatures<\/a>; and the prayers of Pope Francis at the end of his Encyclical, Laudato Si’<\/a>,\u00a0 A Prayer for Our Earth <\/a>and A Christian Prayer in Union with Creation<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 Also, the practice of\u00a0saying Grace before meals is a great opportunity to reflect and give thanks.\u00a0 Here are three examples from the Diocese of Parramatta,<\/a>\u00a0 the Archdiocese of Sydney<\/a>, and Father Francis Cotter ofm and the Franciscan Friars in Ireland<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  4. Contact your local parish <\/a>–\u00a0get to know other Catholics in your community. \u00a0Go to events at your local parish and say ‘hello<\/em>‘ – you might be surprised to find\u00a0you have a lot in common with each other and can work together on issues that are of concern to you. \u00a0While you are there, introduce yourself to your local priest & let him know you are interested in caring for the environment. \u00a0Ask him how you can contribute to the life of your parish.<\/li>\n
  5. If you are already an active part of your parish, make others feel welcome – introduce them to your friends, encourage them to get involved and show them how your\u00a0parish practices Catholic social teaching in your area. To help you discern how best to welcome others to your parish,\u00a0you might like to read the Justice and Peace Office webpage, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP Syrian Refugee Appeal: Welcoming Refugees to Your Parish<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  6. Consider establishing a social justice group<\/a> in your parish, whether you want to focus on\u00a0the environment, or a range of social justice issues. \u00a0 Also, you can participate in the Sydney Alliance<\/a>\u00a0through your local social justice group. \u00a0 Contact your local priest<\/a> or our Office<\/a> – we’re here to help!<\/li>\n
  7. Learn more about how Catholic social teaching<\/a>\u00a0relates to issues you are concerned about. \u00a0 Read the latest encyclical of Pope Francis, Laudato Si’<\/a>\u00a0 and take advantage of the many Catholic resources available\u00a0about the document, such as the Francis Effect II<\/a>, an Australian Group Reading Guide to Laudato Si’<\/a>, \u00a0and online resources found on the Global Catholic Climate Movement website<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a0Catholic Earthcare Australia<\/a>\u00a0runs the Laudato Si’ Animator Program<\/a>, along with a\u00a0youth workshop on Laudato Si’ that you can book here<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  8. Learn about environmental science and the nexus between development, poverty and environmental degradation.\u00a0\u00a0Read information\u00a0from reputable sources, such as those found on the Global Catholic Climate Movement webpage on climate change<\/a>\u00a0and watch some videos<\/a>, too!<\/li>\n
  9. Spend time in nature, restore your relationship with God the Creator and renew your appreciation of His creation.<\/li>\n
  10. Examine how you are caring for creation – take advantage of the questions suggested by Joseph Carver SJ <\/a>or\u00a0 Greg Kennedy SJ<\/a>\u00a0to guide you along your way.<\/li>\n
  11. Start up a conversation and let people know what you’ve learned and why it’s important to you!\u00a0 Host an event, such as a\u00a0talk or discussion about Laudato Si’ in your parish or school.\u00a0 If you would like some suggestions about possible speakers or about organising an event, contact the Justice and Peace Office<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  12. Care for your local environment – there are lots of ways to get involved, including creating a permaculture garden, cleaning-up your local area or volunteering in the local bushcare group.<\/li>\n
  13. Be an ethical consumer and investor:\u00a0 purchase fair-trade and sustainably-produced products; and include ethical criteria when analysing investments and making business decisions.<\/li>\n
  14. Share your innate gifts, skills and experience with those in need! \u00a0There are lots of Catholic agencies<\/a> working in Sydney, doing great work\u00a0you can either join or support and who can put you on the path to helping those in need most effectively.\u00a0 Learn more about Catholic organisations working in this area.\u00a0 Consider the Catholic Earthcare Youth Network<\/a>, the Columban Mission Society’s Faith and Ecology Network<\/a>, \u00a0and the Pacific Calling Partnership<\/a> at the Edmund Rice Centre, as examples.<\/li>\n
  15. Write to your local politicians or start a petition and urge them to show leadership and take constructive steps to protect the environment.\u00a0 As an example, 900,000 signatures were collected by the Global Catholic Climate Movement <\/a>to support ambitious climate action at the recent U.N. Climate summit<\/a>, where an historic international agreement was recently reached.\u00a0 This petition was endorsed by Pope Francis, who stated there is \u00a0a “a clear, definitive and ineluctable ethical imperative to act<\/em>” on climate change.<\/li>\n
  16. Become part of the online conversation.\u00a0 You could start by ‘liking’ Catholic environmental organisations and the work they are doing on Facebook and other social networking sites. \u00a0 Follow those organisations on twitter, too. \u00a0 You can also become an ‘amplifier’ of the Global Catholic Climate Movement here<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  17. Finally, check the events page<\/a>\u00a0on our website or Facebook account <\/a>reguarly.\u00a0 \u00a0We’re always posting news about upcoming events that you can attend and connect with other like-minded people!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    It is my hope that the inspiration of Saint Francis will help us to keep ever alive a sense of “fraternity” with all those good and beautiful things which Almighty God has created. And may he remind us of our serious obligation to respect and watch over them with care, in light of that greater and higher fraternity that exists within the human family.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Message of Pope John Pope II for the celebration of the World Day of Peace, 1\/1\/90 \u201cPeace with God the Creator, Peace with all of creation\u201d Dated 8\/12\/89.<\/span><\/u><\/a><\/h5>\n

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    \u00a0 Living Laudato Si’ I believe that Saint Francis is the example par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology lived out joyfully and authentically…\u00a0who lived in simplicity and in wonderful harmony with God, with others, with nature and with himself. He shows us just how inseparable the bond is between … Continue reading Living Laudato Si’<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"japadmin","author_link":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/author\/japadmin\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9087"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9141,"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9087\/revisions\/9141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justiceandpeace.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}