‘Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home is the new appeal from Pope Francis addressed to “every person living on this planet” for an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. Pope Francis calls the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to join him in embarking on a new path. This encyclical is written with both hope and resolve, looking to our common future with candor and humility.
The title is taken from the first line of the encyclical, “Laudato si’, mi Signore,” or “Praise be to you, my Lord.” In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. The encyclical is divided into six chapters which together provide a thorough analysis of human life and its three intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor, and with the earth:
Pope Francis in his encyclical “Laudato si” calls on all people to protect the earth, our common home, for our children and our grandchildren, and those who come after us. Our Catholic Faith calls on us to:
- care for all God’s creation
- be in solidarity with all, as one human family
- advocate basic rights and a just economy
- love the poor and the vulnerable
- support families and future generations
- uphold life and the dignity of each human person
Grounded in our Catholic Tradition, now is the time to protect the earth for others. We need to learn how the climate crisis is a profound moral issue affecting the poor and vulnerable.