Laudato Si

This website was established in 2019-2020 for the Laudato Si circle of South Belconnen's Catholic parish. South Belconnen is in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the Archdiocese of Canberra (CBR) and Goulburn.

The Archdiocese is very diverse - encompassing rural western plains and rivers, coastal forest, high country alps and headwaters, and major centres including the Australian national capital city of Canberra (CBR).

With support from our Archbishop +Christopher, an archdiocesan-wide Caring for Creation movement (CfC) was established in 2020-21. See the current CFC movement news summary below. This website also now provides some hosting for this CfC movement across the Archdiocese of CBR-Goulburn.

Laudato Si

A copy of the papal encyclical Laudato Si On Care for Our Common Home is available by hyperlink above. There is an excellent presentation summarising its key teachings at Jacqui Remond's webinar video below. Jacqui is an ecological educator and international consultant in the area based in Sydney, Australia and extending across Australasia and beyond. Interested persons are encouraged to view this video.

A series of online 'book club' type dialogues about the encyclical are being convened by the Caring for Creation movement from 14 June 2022. All welcome - see Events Page for details.

Laudato Si action planning

Following the 5 year Jubillee for the encyclical about Care for Our Common Home the Vatican is encouraging responses and implementation of the teachings through promotion and local actions by parishes, schools, archdioceses, other organisations, businesses, families, individuals etc. A personal invitation to participate from Pope Francis is at https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/ .

The aim is over the next 7 years to grow responses through improved understanding of the teachings and practical actions under locally generated Laudato Si action plans (LSAPs). The first year involves assessment and planning. The Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn enrolled in May 2022.

The Vatican's action platform with tailored resources can be found at https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/about/ .

To help build momentum for change, organisations are encouraged to pledge their commitment through enrolment at the global action planning site by October 2022. In order to enrol organisations provide a public reflection on linking their values to the seven Laudato Si goals. The Archdiocese's reflection can be found on it's web page (see above menu). Parishes and schools etc are at different stages of considering enrolment.

About Us

Some details on the work of the BelSouth Parish Laudato Si circle is summarised in the PDF flyer below. The flyer also has contact details for the circle.

Caring for Creation (CfC) movement in CBR-Goulburn

As noted above development of Laudato Si responses through the CfC movement is being considered for the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese more broadly and guided by our Archbishop Christopher Prowse - see https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/movement-on-laudato-si/ and our Chaplain Fr Mick MacAndrew PP (Cooma) - see https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/blessing-on-st-barbaras-day/ .

The CfC movement news summary as at Late January is available below.

Parish Ecological "Footprint"

An article on the South Belconnen parish Ecological "Footprint" project in August 2020 is at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/pope-francis-saves-belconnen-parish-money/ . Upgrading to solar capacity under the Parish Finance Council has put the parish on a path towards carbon neutrality.

Some small scale work has also been initiated for recycling and biodiversity stewardship in the Church grounds.

A current project related to installing residential solar power may also be of interest - see https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/switch-on-sunshine/

The CfC movement is also seeking to encourage ecological assessments and actions more broadly across the Archdiocese.

Ecumenical Dialogue, Events & Links

Details of current events of interest and links to related sites are also contained in the following pages.

For example

• We have links to the global Laudato Si' movement - details are at our Links page. Globally the Church is working closely with other faiths on care for our common home - eg see joint statements at Choose Life .

• the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference through its Office of Justice, Ecology & Peace launched a major Social Justice Statement "Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor" in August 2021 - links to this are at our Events page

• an ecumenical dialogue group has been looking at Laudato Si, listening to indigenous perspectives and considering the Climate for Change. See also our Ecumenical Dialogue page.

Find out more

Those interested in participating or to find out more are welcome to contact BelconnenSouth@cg.org.au or directly to laudatosiACT@gmail.com for the Archdiocesan CfC movement.