10 Years of Laudato Si’: More Relevant Than Ever, writes Br Chris Poppelwell
- maristbrothers
- May 28
- 2 min read
It has been ten years since Pope Francis released his groundbreaking encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, and its message is more urgent today than ever before.
The encyclical had a profound and lasting impact on the global conversation around ecology, climate, justice, and spirituality. As Celia Deane-Drummond of the Laudato Si’ Research Institute observed:
“He was the first Pope ever to bring so much science into an encyclical. He wasn't afraid of that science. He was concerned to actually see the reality of the world around us: the breakdown of ecological systems, the breakdown of the planet, the breakdown of community.”
The encyclical laid out a bold framework, calling us to action through seven key goals:
Response to the Cry of the Earth
Response to the Cry of the Poor
Ecological Economics
Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles
Ecological Education
Ecological Spirituality
Community Engagement and Participatory Action
Over the past decade, these goals have inspired the formation of institutions, the annual observance of Laudato Si’ Week and Laudato Si’ Month, and numerous initiatives aimed at ecological conversion and sustainable development.
Yet, despite widespread acknowledgment and engagement, the global response has been uneven - and often insufficient, particularly at the level of government and systemic policy. The twin crises of environmental degradation and social inequality continue to grow, with those least responsible for the damage often suffering the most.
Recognising the urgency, in 2023 Pope Francis issued Laudate Deum, a follow-up document that directly addresses the escalating climate crisis. In it, he underscores the undeniable human causes of climate change and the permanence of its effects, stating that many consequences are now "irreversible... at least for several hundred years." This renewed call to action challenges both the Church and the global community to take bolder, more coordinated steps.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ on 27 May, 2025, we are invited to reflect deeply on how far we have come - and how much further we must go. This is not simply a commemoration; it is a renewed commitment to the work ahead.
Now is the time to intensify our efforts, individually and collectively, to care for creation, protect the vulnerable, and ensure a sustainable, just world for future generations.
Let us be faithful stewards of our common home.
View more pics from Marist Brothers Primary School, Mulivai, Samoa:
Pic courtesy: Br Steve Vaea
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