Dioceses respond to environmental programme urged in encyclical

Thousands of Catholics in England and Wales have taken action in response to the Pope’s plea to protect the planet, according to statistics released on the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato si’, writes Rose Gamble.

More than 8,000 copies of an encyclical study guide, produced by aid agencies Cafod and Sciaf, have been ordered for use in schools and parishes. Cafod also reports that hundreds of Catholics have attended study days over the past 12 months to reflect on Pope Francis’ message.

Half of all the dioceses in England and Wales now have at least one parish that has received a LiveSimply accolade, recognising efforts made by a local congregation to live sustainably and in solidarity with the poor.

On 10 June, Our Lady of Lourdes, in the Archdiocese of Southwark, became the twenty-first parish to receive the award, given jointly by Cafod and environmental organisation, Eco- Congregation. The first parish to receive the award was St John Bosco’s at Woodley in Reading diocese, which installed solar panels on the church roof.

Mike Childs, head of policy, research and science at Friends of the Earth, said Pope Francis had been “brave on issues of sustainability” and that the Catholic Church, with its reach and influence “is able to campaign on environmental issues in the knowledge that it will be listened to”.

“The Catholic Church has inspired parish groups to get involved in local conservation and environmental projects in their community and this is an example of the positive change that large organisations can effect,” he told The Tablet.