Laudato Si´
Laudato Si´’ (LS) is an important encyclical letter from Pope Francis to every person living on this planet, as the Pope wants to enter into dialogue with all people about our common home.
LS is an appeal to every one of us to safeguard our common home, as our attitudes towards Creation, both Nature and Mankind, are destroying it.
A new ecological spirituality and education, based on an integral ecology perspective, is urgently needed!
In this context, ICCS is highly committed with LS spirit and aim.
ICCS is a committed member of the Laudato Sì Movement (former Global Catholic Climate Movement), , being part of its Global Council (former Steering Committee) and, in 2020, during the special Laudato Si’ Year, ICCS launched a LS Working Group (LSWG) aiming to develop an educative and formative work on this topic.
In this context, your contribution is important! How?
- Sharing your association good practices regarding LS (tools, events, publications, campaigns, trainings, ), as we want to create an archive where any scout, or scout leader, can go and have inspiration for his/her work. Please send your association’ s contributes to laudatosi@cics.org.
- Publicizing internally initiatives, tools and campaigns being promoted by the LSWG.
- And last, but not the least, putting LS in your association’s agenda!
LAUDATO SI’
ICCS COMMITMENT
LEARNING MORE ABOUT LAUDATO SI’
5 minutes
-
Top 10 Things You Need to Know about Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’
Fr. James Martin, SJ
YouTube link -
Laudato Si’ Animation
Catholic Agency for Overseas development
You Tube link
20 minutes
- Online Course: the Laudato Si’ Encyclical
Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Religions for Peace, in partnership with the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
Online Course: the Laudato Si’ encyclical – The Global Catholic Climate Movement : The Global Catholic Climate Movement - Understanding Laudato Si’
Fr. Daniel P. Horan, OFM
YouTube link
1 hour
- A Readers’ Guide to Laudato Si’
Fr. Thomas Resse, SJ - Laudato Si’: On Care For Our Common Home – Discussion Guide
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development
Laudato Si’: On Care For Our Common Home (usccb.org) - On Care For Our Common Home – A Dialogue Guide for Laudato Si’
Jesuit Forum for Social Faith and Justice, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
Dialogue Guide Laudato Si’ (jesuitforum.ca) - Laudato Si’: Care For Our Common Home – Study guide
The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
Laudato Si Guide (catholicclimatemovement.global)
Resources
Films
- The Letter
- Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Franco Zeffirelli, 1973
IMDb - The Man Who Planted Trees
Frédéric Back, 1987 [after the book from Jean Giono]
YouTube
Books
- The Man Who Planted Trees
Jean Giono, 1987
CONVERSION TOOLS
- Platform Laudato Si’
https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/ - Ecological Conversion Roadmap
To be produced - LS badge
To be produced
TRAINING TOOLS
- Comprendre l’Encyclique du Pape François : Laudato Si’
Pedro Duarte Silva
Link to the PPT
PRACTICAL TOOLS
SPIRITUAL TOOLS

NSO’S GOOD PRACTICES
WEBINARS
- Good Practices from Argentina and Italy
Zoom recording (only audio) - Good Practices from France and Senegal
Zoom recording (only audio)
COMMUNICATION
- LS Posts Campaign (on Facebook and Instagram)
See topics below
Laudato Si’ Topics
Pollution & Climate Change
Pope Francis identifies 5 major problems we are currently living; the first is pollution and climate change:
Some forms of pollution are part of people’s daily experience. Exposure to atmospheric pollutants produces a broad spectrum of health hazards, especially for the poor, and causes millions of premature deaths.
These problems are closely linked to a throwaway culture which affects the excluded just as it quickly reduces things to rubbish.
Climate change is a global problem with grave implications: environmental, social, economic, political and for the distribution of goods. It represents a huge challenge facing humanity in our days.






The Issue of Water
The second of the five major problems identified by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ is the issue of water:
One particularly serious problem is the quality of water available to the poor. (LS 29)
But water continues to be wasted, not only in the developed world but also in developing countries which possess it in abundance. This shows that the problem of water is partly an educational and cultural issue, since there is little awareness of the seriousness of such behaviour within a context of great inequality. (LS 30)
Greater scarcity of water will lead to an increase in the cost of food and the various products which depend on its use. (LS 31)
Are you aware of the issue of water and its seriousness?
What do you do in your daily life to avoid water waste and/or pollution? How long is your shower?…






The Loss of Biodiversity
The third of the five major problems we are currently living identified in Laudato Si’ is the loss of biodiversity:
The earth’s resources are also being plundered because of short-sighted approaches to the economy, commerce and production. (LS 32)
Each year sees the disappearance of thousands of plant and animal species which we will never know, which our children will never see, because they have been lost for ever. (LS 33)
Do you know how endangered our biodiversity is? And its consequences?
Are you aware if your consumption habits include endangered species? Are you ready to review this?





Decline in the quality of human life and the breakdown of society
The fourth of the five major problems we are currently living identified by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ is the decline in the quality of human life and the breakdown of society:
Nowadays, for example, we are conscious of the disproportionate and unruly growth of many cities, which have become unhealthy to live in, not only because of pollution caused by toxic emissions but also as a result of urban chaos, poor transportation, and visual pollution and noise. (LS 44)
The social dimensions of global change include the effects of echnological innovations on employment, social exclusion, an inequitable distribution and consumption of energy and other services, social breakdown, increased violence and a rise in new forms of social aggression, drug trafficking, growing drug use by young people, and the loss of identity. (LS 46)
Look around your neighbourhood… What are the main needs there? What can you do to improve urban environment or help people in need there?






Global inequality
The last, but not the least, of the five major problems we are currently living identified by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ is global inequality:
The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together; we cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to causes related to human and social degradation.
[…] the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet […]
The impact of present imbalances is also seen in the premature death of many of the poor, in conflicts sparked by the shortage of resources, and in any number of other problems which are insufficiently represented on global agendas. (LS 48)
How can you help fighting global inequality ? Can you do anything in your community? Advocacy? Fund or goods raising campaigns?…





