Vatican-sponsored initiative from May 22-29 will mark return to in-person events
ROME, April 22, 2022 – On Earth Day, Church invites Catholic communities around the world to participate in Laudato Si’ Week 2022.
The weeklong global event will mark the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on creation care and unite the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics to listen and respond to the cry of God’s creation.
Catholics will rejoice in the progress we have made in bringing Laudato Si’ to life, and intensify our efforts through the Vatican’s new Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which is empowering Catholic institutions, communities, and families to fully implement Laudato Si’. We are also happy to announce that the term of the first cycle of registrations to the Laudato Si ‘Platform has been extended to 4 October 2022, the day dedicated to St. Francis, in which will begin the 40 days of prayer of the “Season of Creation”. On November 14, 2022, World Day of the Poor, registrations for the second cycle will begin.
Comprising nearly one-fifth of the world’s population organized in some 220,000 parishes worldwide, the Catholic Church can play a powerful role in solving the dual challenges of the climate emergency and ecological crisis.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, interim Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which sponsors Laudato Si’ Week, said: “As the purchasing of fossil fuels funds wars and further destroys God’s creation, our Holy Father is calling on us not to despair but to unite, not to lament this destruction but to take urgent action together. Let us come together as one global Catholic family committed to peace and caring for God’s creation in Laudato Si’ Week 2022.”
The theme for the week is “Listening and Journeying Together.” The eight-day global event will be guided by the following quote from Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’: “Bringing the human family together to protect our common home” (LS 13).
Laudato Si’ Week 2022 will mark the fourth global Laudato Si’ Week celebration (2016, 2020, 2021). But for the first time since 2016, the event will feature in-person events, an important milestone in the world’s efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each day of the week will be highlighted by a global event held in-person, online, or a combination of the two. The events will lift up Catholic teaching on biodiversity, responding to the cry of the poor, divestment, education, and eco-spirituality.
Locally, thousands of events will bring the message of Laudato Si’ to everyday Catholics, helping bring this global celebration to life and changing countless communities around the world. Further details about the Laudato Si’ Week 2022 program will be announced soon.
Laudato Si’ Week 2022 is sponsored by the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and facilitated by Laudato Si’ Movement in collaboration with a cohort of Catholic partners. More information can be found here.
Video, logos and graphics can be found here: EN LSW 2022🍃SM Kit
About Laudato Si’ Movement
Laudato Si’ Movement serves the Catholic family around the world to turn Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si’ into action for climate and ecological justice. Laudato Si’ Movement’s efforts to build a grassroots movement draw on the combined gifts of nearly 800 member organizations and thousands of local volunteers who help bring the Laudato Si’ message to life.