Laudato si’ Week, the weeklong event marking the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on creation care, will feature a series of global celebrations and dynamic conversations, including one focused on raising Indigenous voices that will feature Sr. Alessandra Smerilli FMA, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics will unite from May 22-29 to celebrate the progress made in bringing Laudato si’ to life and intensify their efforts through the Laudato si’ Action Platform, promoted by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, under the inspiration of the Holy Father Francis. The new tool is empowering Catholic institutions, communities, and families to fully implement Laudato si’.
Each day of Laudato si’ Week will feature global, regional, and local events tied to one of the seven Laudato si’ goals and the seven sectors of the Laudato si’ Action Platform, all of which underpin the concept of integral ecology. As of 17:00 CET Wednesday May 18, 107 events had already been registered at LaudatoSiWeek.org, with hundreds more expected in the coming days.
Among the crucial topics to be explored during Laudato si’ Week: how Catholics can combat biodiversity collapse; the role of fossil fuels in conflicts and the climate crisis; and how we all can embrace the poor in our daily lives.
Laudato si’ Week Schedule
Monday, May 23: Response to the cry of the Earth
10:00 CEST No More Biodiversity Collapse: Rebalancing Social Systems With Nature
Broadcast live from the Australian Catholic University in Rome, Father Joshtrom Kureethadam of the Vatican will lead a dynamic conversation centered on raising Indigenous voices ahead of the United Nations biodiversity conference later this year.
Featured speakers:
- Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
- Theresa Ardler, Research Indigenous Liaison Officer at Australian Catholic University, Director and Owner of Gweagal Cultural Connections
- Vandana Shiva, founder of Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in India and President of Navdanya International
- Fr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, Head of the Vatican’s Ecology and Creation Office, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
- Angela Manno, award-winning artist
- Greg Asner, the director of ASU’s Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science
Tuesday, May 24: Response to the cry of the poor (7th anniversary of LS)
9:00 CEST Empowering ECO-mmunity: Embracing the poor
Wednesday, May 25: Ecological economics
15:00 CEST Fossil Fuels, Violence, and the Climate Crisis
With Jeffrey Sachs
Thurs, May 26: Adoption of sustainable lifestyles (the Feast of the Ascension)
15:30 CEST Investing in Laudato si’
Fri, May 27: Ecological education
14:00 CEST Sneak Peek: Feature Documentary on Laudato si’
With Fr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, Head of the Vatican’s Ecology and Creation Office, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
Sat, May 28: Ecological spirituality
21:00 CEST Laudato si’ Festival
Sun, May 29: Community resilience and empowerment as part of our Synodal Journey 15:00 CEST Laudato si’ Week Closing Prayer Gathering: Community resilience and empowerment as part of our Synodal Journey
The complete program for Laudato si’ Week, including global events in Uganda, Italy, Ireland, Brazil, and the Philippines, can be found at laudatosiweek.org.
The Dicastery hopes that everyone will feel called to participate in Laudato si’ Week and undertake in a synodal spirit the seven-year “journey” proposed by the Laudato si’ Action Platform.
