Peggy's Blog
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform
12/14/21
Sometimes when we read or talk about sustainability we talk in terms of the business and political issues that stoke the biggest flames of the debate. Despite all the wrangling that is occurring around us it’s good to know what we have many faith-based communities to keep us in check when we are all stepping out of bounds.
Recently, The Catholic Institution’s leader Pope Francis issued its Laudato Si’, which calls us toward sustainability in the spirit of integral ecology. The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform is a space for institutions, communities, and families to learn and grow together as we journey toward full sustainability in the holistic spirit of integral ecology.
This platform which is being launched in stages from now and through 2022, will comprise three elements: Laudato Si’ Planning Guides to map your journey, practical guidance on ways to take action, and resources to develop trusted communities of practice.
Laudato Si’ Plans: Planning guides can be used by institutions, community, or family to discern and implement a response. This includes a process-oriented approach and guidance on actions that help build a better future through the Laudato Si’ Goals. It also offers recognition of progress.
Practical Guidance: The platform offers a library of resources to provide practical, concrete guidance on ways to take action as well as webinars on actions and events.
Community: The platform also offers resources to strengthen your community, ways to connect directly with other participants, and inspiring stories of people who are taking action.
Discerning a response to the ecological crisis is a profound act of care. At this moment, action is needed. The Laudato Si’ Goals guide our actions. It redefines and rebuilds our relationship with each other and our common home. The holistic approach acknowledges the planetary limits of all socio-economic systems and the human roots of the ecological crisis. It calls for a spiritual and cultural revolution to realize integral ecology.
The Laudato Si’ goals narrow in on the response to the cry of the Earth; the response to the cry of the poor; ecological economics; adoption of sustainable lifestyles; ecological education; ecological spirituality; and community resilience and empowerment.
As one example, ecological economics acknowledges the economy is a sub-system of human society, which itself is embedded within the biosphere–our common home. Actions could include sustainable production and consumption, ethical investments, divestment from fossil fuels and any activity harmful to the planet and the people, supporting circular economies, and prioritizing care labor and protecting the dignity of workers.
This is simply one example of how we can make a difference. We need to keep an eye on what comes as a result of Laudato Si’ Action Platform.
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