When Kathy Gosh and Marijane Reilly founded the Caring For Our Common Home Task Force at All Saints Church in Syracuse, New York, in 2015, they could never have imagined that their group would win multiple grants and awards. It all began in 2015 after Pope Francis published his encyclical about environmental care, “Laudato Si’, Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Laudato Si’
Islamic leaders’ call to climate change action
Thursday, March 14th, 2024
Islamic leaders have unveiled ‘Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth,’ a document urging action on climate change. The document can be seen as a counterpart to Pope Francis’ groundbreaking encyclical, Laudato Si’, launched nine years ago. Al-Mizan, announced on February 27 during the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, offers a Muslim perspective on Read more
Climate activists disrupt Mass in Turin
Thursday, December 7th, 2023
Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion disrupted a Mass in Italy over the weekend, interrupting the ceremony at the Turin Cathedral. Demonstrators, citing Pope Francis’ environmental writings, took the floor during the service led by Archbishop Roberto Repole. Extinction Rebellion characterises itself as a nonpartisan movement. The group employs nonviolent methods to push for government action Read more
DJ priest brings faith to masses
Monday, November 13th, 2023
In Portugal where half the young people say they have no religion, a Catholic priest has discovered a unique way to connect with them. Guilherme Peixoto (pictured) blends faith with electronic dance music as a DJ priest. “Padre Guilherme says, ‘If we can’t bring them to church, we’ll bring the church to them’” said Silvana Read more
Caritas – climate gloom turns hopeful
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
Aotearoa New Zealand “punches above its weight” in sport, science and international affairs. We also excel at something less praiseworthy: producing excessive emissions which damage the environment. However, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is gloomy about the country’s response to climate change and in its latest ‘advocacy newsletter,’ and pricks at New Zealanders’ consciences. It points Read more
Pope Francis to update landmark document on world environmental crisis
Thursday, August 24th, 2023Pope Francis said on Monday that he was writing a follow-up to his landmark 2015 encyclical on the protection of the environment and the dangers of climate change “to bring it up to date”. He made the surprise announcement in a brief, unprepared addition in a speech to a group of lawyers from the Council Read more
Laudato Si’ deserves our attention
Thursday, May 25th, 2023
Perhaps you are wondering, “What is Laudato Si’ Week?” And for that matter, what does Laudato Si’ mean? Laudato Si’ is medieval Italian for “Praise be to you.” It is a quote from St. Francis of Assisi’s beautiful Canticle of the Creatures: “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains Read more
‘Pa Ropata’ McGowan awarded prestigious Waikato University medal
Thursday, May 25th, 2023
A lifetime’s service to healing the land has seen Waikato University honour Tauranga Catholic, Rob McGowan with a prestigious award. Known to many as ‘Pa Ropata’, McGowan is this year’s University of Waikato Medal recipient. The award recognises community service at a local or regional level. “Rob has made a significant and sustained contribution to Read more
Takapau hosts community day for waterways health
Thursday, May 25th, 2023Waterways health saw Central Hawke’s Bay farmers heading to the Takapau Town Hall last week. They were laden with bottles of water samples for the Maharakeke and Pōrangahau Catchment Community Day event. The bottles contained samples of their stream water for testing by Massey University scientists. They were there to test for nitrogen and phosphorus Read more
What does it mean to believe in an ecological God?
Monday, May 22nd, 2023
Picture the Earth as seen in familiar photos taken from space. There it spins, a beautiful blue marble wrapped in swirling white clouds, luminous against the black background of endless space. We, humans, live here, as do millions of other species on and under the solid land, in the fresh and salty waters, and in Read more