By Joe Burns, Commission member
This was the theme of the NDEG (Northern Dioceses Environment Group) zoom meeting on 27 November.
The Laudato Si Movement is an international movement which will be celebrating 10 years since its publication in June 2025 and the UK animators are held in high regard globally as active in this field. It really helps to be part of a global network when we are dealing with global problems. 24 of the animators met earlier in the year at the Laudato Si Centre, Wardley Hall.
John Woodhouse (Laudato Si Animators Co-ordinator) has been the national coordinator of the Laudato Si Movement in England & Wales for the last 3 years with about 150 animators on their database.
Some of the key points that John made were:
- There has been active participation in many national initiatives e.g. Restore Nature Now that attracted over 60,000 people from many different organisations.
- Facebook, articles in Independent Catholic News etc plus 2 zoom meetings a year keep animators engaged.
- ‘The Letter’ (the beautiful film about Laudato Si), which was shown during Lent, attracted 400 participants online.
- Clergy need training in social action and Laudato Si issues as parishes still have much to do
- by contrast ‘schools and children are way ahead of us! – we don’t hear their voices enough.’
- ‘We need to convert our clergy.’
The Laudato Si Movement animators are planning a possible pilgrimage to Assisi in June 2025. The secretary of the Bishops’ conference has said that he will ask the chair if the bishops can make a visit to Wardley Hall during their Leeds meeting in November 2025. Let’s hope that does happen as experiencing the centre is important!
Animators are working on an encounter overnight staying near Wardley Hall probably in September. If you are an environmental lead, please contact johnwoodhousecat@gmail.com about joining.
Dr Emma Gardner,(Director of the Laudato Si Centre, Diocese of Salford) presented the progress over the years since the publication of Laudato Si.
A major development was the appointment of Bishop John Arnold with responsibility for the Environment for the Bishops Conference of England and Wales.
The journey has been highlighted by many special events:
- 2015 Laudato Si encyclical published
- 2017 An advisory group formed from universities, CAFOD, MP’s and environment specialists
- 2019 The Laudato Si centre opens at Wardley Hall, Salford. The centre is for all faiths and none – in keeping with Pope Francis in his encyclical that is addressed to ‘all people of good will’.
- 2020 Guardians of Creation established via the Catholic Bishops Conference
- Boarbank Hall starts its Laudato Si retreats
- 2022 Small Things published – Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle
- The film based on Laudato Si – ‘The Letter’ released
- 2024 Laudato Si awards for schools started
Finally, the question was put: “Are we doing enough?” (The answer was a qualified ‘no’ – we are not doing enough but each of us can only do so much.)