+ Tues 19th May – a special five year anniversary

Yesterday’s Parish Blog post used the expression that we can all be shepherds to others and shepherds to God’s creation. That’s a good intro to today’s theme – which is an acknowledging of the 5th Anniversary of Pope Francis’ groundbreaking document; Laudato Is – On the Care of our Common Home. 

We were reminded in a recent blog post here (Tuesday 5th May) where that unusual heading (Laudato Si) comes from – something we can feel proud of knowing that the Catholic saint behind that inspiration is probably the one most revered across all religions. That same blog post offered ten summary points of the pope’s document as a way of getting some insights, in light of the  full document being pretty lengthy. Did  you see  those? You’re welcome to look back some time.

Has our Catholicism been slow?

Laudato Si is for anyone interested in the relationship between faith and the environment. It’s especially important for every Catholic to have a good sense of this connection, because it’s a subject of central teaching in our faith. Isn’t it true that many of us Catholics thugh, still presume that the talk of the environment is mostly a special interest of environmentalists? We haven’t been very good on the public level of the Church and parish communities at giving it the same degree of importance, love and understanding, as some other key life issues – and yet our offical teaching does. I think it’s any off us in various places of leadership in the Church who need to face up to this rather than focus on individual Catholics. Clearly, we have been slow and lacked conviction in our faith and leadership about this central issue. And clearly, this could have been – and may be ahead – a way to become more relevant in our Church to the lives and concerns of younger people too.

So, on this important anniversary of a most important Church document, here are some responses in our Parish Blog post for today. I urge you, in faith and friendship, to use and share them well – (in addition if you wish to checking back on that post on 5th May)

FIRSTLY

• Firstly, here’s an excellent prayer below – that I suggest can be used as much more than in a momentary way  –  Would you consider praying this prayer with someone – or even alone – maybe a few times,  over a period of time? And then, could you simply ask the question; ‘what’s one thought in that prayer that might encourage one new action in me?’ (Wouldn’t it be good if we could get a bunch of us reflecting and making just one response to that question?) Just click on the heading  below for the prayer to pop up.

Laudato Si prayer

SECONDLY

• Secondly, here’s an opportunity for anyone who’d like to go the next step of connecting in to a wider zoom network and being enriched by this topic. Go on, if you have any flexible time in your lifestyle at the moment why don’t you just say yes and take that step to see if something in that zoom experience is enlightening? The link shown on this image won’t click but it is written again immediately after this paragraph  – Just highlight it and copy it – then paste it into a fresh internet search. What will come up is a chance to register your name and email for that shared prayer and reflection experience being hosted by Caritas this Thursday at 11am: https://caritas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0kceqpqz8sGNFp3NlbCsuTwyHQGT9Zxzfw

THIRDLY

• Thirdly, are there some young people in your family who are thoughtful about environmental issues – and/or perhaps who are finding that the Church is not speaking to their lives and concerns? That’s a common sentiment and in certain instances is very understandable. Here’s a chance to offer a young person the chance for a meaningful life and faith connection. It’s a similar gathering to above, but for young people from across countries! This one is on Wednesday at 4pm. What great witness it would be for a parent, aunt, uncle or grandparent to say to a son or daughter, niece or nephew or grandchild –  ‘I’m doing this morning session about the environment – do you want to do the session with young people across countries and I’d love to hear how it went?!’ So, likewise as above, here’s that next link to highlight, copy and paste into a search – and it will ask for a name and email to register for the experience. https://caritas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYtceiqrTMtEtZK5qzPvRnHHXse7KuX4CfU

FOURTHLY 

… and finally for this Laudato Si anniversary post here in our Parish Blog space – here’s a really interesting connection across life and faith – and across faiths – that is worth a look and worth sharing also as a strong expression of relevance.

UN Environment has launched #Faith4Earth to unite faith groups in repair of our common home. It’s got Twitter posts and social media extensions that unite strongly across faiths and cultures. Why not copy the tag #Faith4Earth – then paste it into a search and have an interesting explore?

See you in the next post .. and

with friendship in God’s mission,

fr Paul