Christians step up campaign for the environment on tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’

Planning is underway for a mass Lobby of Parliament on 9 July, calling for action on climate and biodiversity.

Events have been arranged throughout the UK for his year’s Laudato Si’ Week from 24-31 May, which marks a decade since the publication of Laudato Si’.

On 22 May Cheltenham Laudato Si’ Circle has organised a Stations of Creation to celebrate the Year of Jubilee and the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’. Setting off from the Old Priory in Cheltenham, the one-hour circular walk offers six stops for reflection. The same day, the FCJ Centre for Spirituality and EcoJustice in North London is running a zoom retreat on this year’s Laudato Si Week theme of “raising hope”. And Operation Noah is running a webinar on Catholic social teaching and investing in climate solutions.’

A “care of creation” retreat at Boarbank Hall, Cumbria will run from 27–31 May, led by Sr Margaret Atkins of Boarbank Hall and John Paul de Quay of the Ecological Conversion Group. Talks will look at the social doctrine of the Church on care for creation and living more simply. Optional activities include nature walks, birdwatching and gardening.

New Laudato Si’ and care for creation groups are being set up in parishes in Arundel and Brighton, Clifton, Liverpool and Portsmouth, studying the encyclical over four to six week programmes. Some are using resources offered online by Laudato Si’ Week, and others study programmes produced by Cafod and the Columbans.

Columbans in Britain produced a special issue of their newsletter, Vocation for Justice on integrating ecology and justice.  Some parish groups are hosting book clubs to read Laudato Si’ over six sessions for its six chapters. Others are viewing The Letter, a film which tells the story of four frontline leaders on the climate crisis who travel to Rome to meet Pope Francis and discuss Laudato Si’. New parish and school groups have started working towards Cafod’s Livesimply Award. Laudato Si’ animators, who have completed the online course provided by Laudato Si’ Movement, and justice and peace activists are involved in many groups.

To mark the anniversary of the encyclical, the social justice department of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales will hold an inter-faith event in Manchester.

John Arnold, lead bishop on the environment has been invited by the Care of Creation office of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland to speak about Laudato Si’ Week on the evening of 30 May.  Also on 30 May an online global celebration has been organised by the Laudato Si’ Movement, which will draw in UK participants and “celebrate 10 years of prayer and action and look ahead to the next 10 years together”.

Andy Atkins, chief executive of ecumenical group A Rocha UK has written that this is an appropriate time to promote the Climate and Nature Bill.  After the government failed to back the Bill at its second reading in January, but made some relevant promises, the campaign is stepping up. Constituents in the UK are being urged to write to prime minister Keir Starmer, calling on the government “to face the stark reality on climate and biodiversity loss” and support the campaign for the Climate and Nature Bill.

Planning is getting underway for a mass Lobby of Parliament on 9 July, calling for action on climate and biodiversity. The lobby day is organised by the Climate Coalition which includes leading Christian development and environment organisations, including Cafod and Green Christian.

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