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What is Laudato Si' and what does it say?

Laudato Si’ is an encyclical written by Pope Francis, it was published on the 18 June 2015. Encyclicals are open letters written by the pope.

Laudato Si’ discusses the damage being inflicted on the Earth by humans and calls on ‘every person living on this planet’ to make urgent changes to our lifestyles and how we consume energy in order to protect the planet.

It deals with many environmental issues including:

• pollution
• climate change
• water
• loss of biodiversity
• decline in the quality of human life.

In his letter Pope Francis implores us to work together to create a better world for future generations and asks us to make the necessary changes in our lives in order to take care of, respect and value our ‘common home’.

"Laudato si for children" aims to inspire our children to be good stewards of the Earth, to be aware of the impact of their actions, and to make choices that help protect the environment. By understanding and following the teachings of "Laudato si," our children can play an important role in creating a better and more sustainable world for themselves and future generations.

At St Albans we all take part in being active Stewards of Creation to ensure that we live our Catholic Mission.

UPDATE Laudate Deum

Pope Francis, released Laudate Deum, to all people of good will on the climate crisis, on 4 October 2023. The ecumenical Season of Creation closed on 4 October 2023, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi.

It is a document intended to follow up on his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home.

Laudate Deum is an urgent call to tackle the climate crisis, recognising that time is running out. And irreversible damage has already been done.