Initiated in 2018, the Brisbane Archdiocese Living Laudato Si’ Initiative is now branching out into partnerships with Toowoomba Diocese and the Queensland Churches Environmental Network. You can find out more about the initiative, its activities, and the resources that it has produced for parishes, agencies and schools by contacting Peter Arndt at the Brisbane Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.
Archbishop Coleridge established the Archdiocese’s Living Laudato Si’ Initiative in response to Pope Francis’ call to action. It is taking the message of Laudato Si’ to the heart of faith and life and encouraging the whole Archdiocese to live out the ethos of caring for creation.
In this short video, released in the run up to the Season of Creation in 2019, Brisbane Bishop Ken Howell explained the work and the plans of the Initiative.
This year the Living Laudato Si’ Initiative, managed by the Archdiocesan Justice & Peace Commission with the support of the Evangelisation Brisbane Team, organized a series of webinars for the Season of Creation. Videos of the webinars are available here.
Archbishop Coleridge’s homily at the Mass of Creation at the conclusion of the Season of Creation can be viewed at 25:24 – 37:44 of this video.
Stepping Up in National Recycling Week is the title of the Initiative’s next webinar which will take place on Monday 9 November, 10:30 – 11.30 AM, Brisbane time. It will focus on a key challenge of Laudato Si’ – our throwaway culture as Pope Francis calls it. He challenges us to do more than recycle our waste. Instead, he calls on us to think about how much we buy into the consumerist culture which encourages us to consume the earth’s resources without a thought for the damage we are doing. Dr David Tutty, Executive Officer of the Social Justice Commission of the Diocese of Toowoomba, will speak about what Laudato Si’ says about our throwaway culture and wastefulness and Liam Rankine, Community Relationships Manager, Clean Up Australia will introduce participants to Clean Up Australia’s Step Up program.
You can register here.
The Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission has also been working with the Social Justice Commission of the Diocese of Toowoomba and Queensland Churches Environmental Network (QCEN) on developing a series of eco-spirituality discussion resources. These are intended to help Christians to come together and explore how our faith shapes our commitment to caring for the environment. An initial set of resources for use in groups which self-organise will be available in coming months. It is also hoped that QCEN will organise eco-spirituality discussions across Queensland in the future. Stay in touch with Justice and Peace Commission Executive Officer Peter Arndt for more information arndtp@bne.catholic.net.au