Bob thank you for your recommendation for us all to make more changes in our personal lives for the sake of the present and future of the living earth. May be your parish works differently, but even when we try to make individual efforts, these will I think for most of us be enhanced and encouraged by whatever we are doing together in the parish and by the importance given to ecological justice in what is said and done in our communities, including its officers.

Paul Donovan opens with the unsubstantiated claim that, ‘environmental initiatives by Catholics thus far have been limited’. How does he know the environmental credentials of several million Catholics in Britain?! Nonetheless, he is correct to state that Pope Francis is, ‘demanding a personal conversion from all of us, a turning away from the consumerist world in which we live’.

Unfortunately, Mr Donovan places his trust in institutional solutions exemplified by his promotion of ‘environmental officers’, ‘Live Simply parish awards’, ‘environmental audits’ and management-speak clichés such as ‘beacon of environmental good practice’. For far too long issues ranging from euthanasia to vocations have been seen as a committee or campaign responsibility. These and other issues are the responsibility of every Catholic, every parish and every level of the Church. Likewise, caring for our common home will not be achieved through bureaucracies, their functionaries and a constant round of conferences, workshops and campaigns fuelled by righteous indignation.

It is easy to criticise governments, corporations or the Bishops’ Conference; it is quite another matter changing our own lifestyle and urging others to do likewise. Much, however, can be achieved by each of us striving to live our lives according to the Word, and following the Mass dismissal that instructs us - ‘Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life’.

Great points there, Denis. Thanks for the rest. Whale is a matter of squealing, whining, and wailing at the same time, or "squayling", so children should take to it easily. Perhaps it can be incorporated into the music of the liturgy at the Kyrie, accompanied by rhythmic sensuous motions that mimic cetaceans swimming, on those days that the rector plans a homily on the environment. Well, my carbon footprint on this article is probably already getting too large, so I'll go back to counting the leaves on the tree in my backyard.

The first two comments neatly illustrate Paul Donovan's shocking point that when it comes to enacting global justice on climate and biosphere, the local Catholic Church is ill-informed and the hierarchy "has virtually nothing" provided in the way of resources. Denis please re-read the title of Paul's article, and both please read the encyclical, even if Fr Brain would find it easier to discuss loose gears with Jeremy Clarkson.

I don't know where Paul Donovan gets the notion that our bishops are euro sceptic. They fall over themselves to drive the euro project whenever end wherever they can. Their spokesman, Bishop Kenney even going so far as to re- interpret the Pope's message to the EU to ensure it appeared as the Holy Father really meant it.
By the way I'm with Father Gearloose on the issue of Whale song. Perhaps we could have a get together!

Catholic Sunday catechism should also include lessons in how to speak whale, so that we may communicate with our finned brethren at the beach, and even sing a few hymns in church like whales.