By Sr. Sarah Muhindo DST
Laudato Si’ is an encyclical of Pope Francis published in May 2015. It focuses on care for the natural environment and all people, as well as broader questions of the relationship between God, humans, and the Earth. The encyclical’s subtitle, “Care for Our Common Home,” reinforces these key themes.
An encyclical is a public letter from the Pope developing Catholic teaching on a topic often in light of current events. Laudato Si’ is addressed to “every living person on this planet” (LS 3). Hence, it is offered as part of an ongoing dialogue within the Catholic Church and between Catholics and the wider world.
Laudato si’ (Praise Be to You) is the second encyclical of Pope Francis. The encyclical has the subtitle “on care for our common home”.In it, the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take “swift and unified global action.”
The encyclical, dated 24 May 2015, was officially published at noon on 18 June 2015, accompanied by a news conference. The Vatican released the document in Italian, German, English, Spanish, French, Polish, Portuguese and Arabic, alongside the original Latin.
The encyclical is the second published by Pope Francis, after Lumen fidei (The Light of Faith), which was released in 2013. Since Lumen fidei was largely the work of Francis’s predecessor Benedict XVI, Laudato si’ is generally viewed as the first encyclical that is entirely the work of Francis
The Holy Father called for an ecological conversion in response to the many ecological crises facing the planet.
As a result of the 2015 Pope Francis’ encyclical, the Church has encouraged all Catholics to embrace a commitment to ecological conversion. As a result, every parish and diocese around the world needs to be involved in a plan to ensure this encyclical is promoted.
As a way of implementing this encyclical, Kasese Guide Radio has started a new segment in the name of ‘Laudato si in order to fulfill the Pope’s dream. The radio management has asked Caritas Kasese department to champion this. Caritas Kasese will on every Tuesday of the week be given a free airtime platform on Kasese guide Radio to talk about the laudato si, how different people of God can go about and what should be done in order for this dream to be fulfilled.
Laudato Si’ helps us reflect about things related to the planet—the world that we share,” Caritas staff explained to the listener of Kasese Guide Radio “It tries to influence us to change our lifestyle.”
Published in 2015, Laudato Si’ addresses the consequences of climate change, the culture of waste, the extinction of species, and various other environmental concerns.
The catholic diocese of Kasese through the two diocesan commissions of Caritas and Communication through the radio has the zeal to ensure the laudato si message reaches every Christian and is put into practice. Their dream is that every small Christian community gets a demonstration.
Catholic Social Teaching is about economic conditions for all people and also the solidarity of all of us in mankind and how we are all interconnected,”