Pope Francis looks ahead to the closing of the “Laudato sì Year” on Monday, launches the “Laudato sì Action Platform” and urges all men and women of goodwill to continue to listen to the cry of the earth and to the cry of the poor.
By Vatican News staff writer
Pope Francis on Sunday invited men and women across the globe to continue to walk the path of environmental and social respect and justice by continuing to heed the cry of the earth and of the poor.
Reminding the faithful that Monday, 24 May, marks the end of the “Laudato sì Year”, the Pope thanked the thousands of people who animated the Year with numerous initiatives across the world.
Laudato sì Year
Inaugurated on the fifth anniversary of the Pope’s encyclical dedicated to the care of Our Common Home, the Special Laudato sì Anniversary Year featured numerous initiatives, realized in partnership with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Dignity, NGOs and faith-based groups, with a clear emphasis on “ecological conversion” in “action”. Its aim was to invite everyone to respond to “a peoples’ movement” from below, an alliance of all people of good will, in line with Pope Francis’ plea to “cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.”
Speaking after the recitation of the Regina Coeli prayer in St Peter’s Square, the Pope thanked the thousands of men and women who participated and animated the Year through numerous different initiatives.
Laudato sì Action Platform
Reiterating that it is a journey to be continued, the Pope announced that “the Laudato sì Action Platform” will immediately kick-off. He explained that the Platform is based on a seven-year action plan “that will guide families, parish and diocesan communities, schools and universities, hospitals, businesses, movements, organizations and religious institutes to adopt sustainable lifestyles.”
The Pope also took the occasion to send his greetings and best wishes to the many Laudato sì Platform “animators” who have received the mandate to spread the Gospel of Creation and take care of our Common Home
