Welcome to Laudato Si’ Week! Each year, Laudato Si’ Week celebrates the anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical and the message to care for our common home. It is a chance to learn, reflect, pray and act on our relationship with all of creation.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops created an 8-day resource with invitations to Pray, Learn, Act for Laudato Si’ Week 2023.
Here are 5 daily reflections and invitations we’ve created to enrich your journey of living Laudato Si’. Also available in a PDF version.
Day 1: Responding to the Cry of the Poor
“Hence every ecological approach needs to incorporate a social perspective which takes into account the fundamental rights of the poor and the underprivileged.” (Laudato Si’, 93) The effects of the ecological crisis are felt most immediately and most drastically by underserved communities. Globally, those least responsible for contributing to the climate crisis suffer most from poor air, water and food quality and are most vulnerable to natural disasters. In the U.S., socially vulnerable populations (based on income, educational attainment, race and ethnicity, and age) may be more exposed to the highest impacts of climate change such as health from changes in air quality and extreme temperature, disruptions to weather-exposed workers, and flooding threats to property.
Invitation for reflection & action:
What are the challenges facing my local community? How do my choices promote or hinder ecological justice for all? What is one step I can take to hear and respond to the cry of the those most affected by the ecological crisis?
Day 2: A Prayer for Creation
From our Franciscan tradition, we honor the connectedness of all of creation and recognize the dignity of each individual in a special way this Laudato Si’ Week. We are mindful of our brothers and sisters within creation, especially those most affected. Engaging an ecological spirituality can nourish a spiritual vision of creation and encourage greater connection in a spirit of wonder, praise, joy and gratitude for all.
Invitation for reflection & action:
All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may
protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.
– A Prayer for our Earth written by Pope Francis for Laudato Si’
Day 3: Choosing Ecological Options
Laudato Si’ Week is a great time to think about the products, devices, and services we use at home, at work, and within our communities. We are asked to “replace consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing” (Laudato Si’, 9).
Invitation for reflection & action:
In addition to the financial cost of a purchase, the “total cost of ownership” includes energy/fuel needed to obtain and use the item, product and packaging materials, impacts of the purchase on the local economy, and options for disposal or re-use. Many times, the most ecological option is using the one you already have.
Is there an alternative to buying a new item or product I want? When making a purchase, how can I consider the “total cost of ownership” for items such as household or workplace supplies, electronics, clothing, Amazon or other online shopping, etc.?
Day 4: Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles
Adopting sustainable lifestyles is grounded in the idea of sufficiency and promoting moderation in the use of resources and energy. We are mindful of what and how much we use because our footprints impact the people and places around us. Related actions can include reducing waste and recycling, choosing sustainable dietary habits like opting for a more plant-based diet and reducing meat consumption, greater use of public transport and walking/cycling, and avoiding single use items (especially plastics).
Invitation for reflection & action:
How ecologically sustainable are my uses of resources such as fuel, electricity, water? What impacts do my food choices have on the environment? What is one step I can take this week to lessen my footprint?
Day 5: Nurture Hope
Although Laudato Si’ Week wraps up this weekend, the message of Laudato Si’ is always in season. May our connection with all of creation be a source of hope as we remember that “all creatures are connected, each must be cherished with love and respect, for all of us as living creatures are dependent on one another.” (Laudato Si’, 42). We can continue celebrating and taking action to care for our common home.
Invitation for reflection & action:
This weekend, we encourage you to spend time with creation. Whether it is a large open space, a small city garden, or a simple patio plant may you find peace and nurture a sense of hope in the beauty of the natural world.