UGANDA: Consecrated Persons urged to embrace Laudato Si’ Action Platform
His Exellency Luiji Bianco the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda (centre), with His Grace Emmanuel Obbo (centre -right), Chairman for the Consecated persons, with members of the General Assembly of the Consecrated Persons Credit: Uganda Communications
Sr. Mary Lilly Driciru MSMMC
International Edition of the Guardian sounded a warning; “The world’s leading climate scientists have warned, there is only a dozen (12) years for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people.
Two years passed practically without a notable action. However, emergency response is needed to address this emerging catastrophe. The Catholic Church through Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP), under the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, with seven sectors are invited to begin a seven-year journey towards total sustainability and integral ecology, to realize the teachings summarized in Laudato Si’.
The sector for religious orders and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, invites all the consecrated persons to join the Religious orders working group of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. Meetings, conversations are ongoing on and soon, structural framework will be put in place.
The goal targets one million Religious persons that would be contributing between 21-25% in topping point for systemic change in implementing Laudato Si goals. There is a call for sustainability of Laudato Si goals (LSGs). It strives for impact creation through transformative practices evidently equated to footsteps.
Each working group members are called to help and support: Develop measurable targets that will make up an important part of the platform (termed ‘footsteps’ for each Laudato Si Goals).
The goals include: Response to the cry of the earth, Response to the cry of the poor, Ecological economics, Adoption of simple lifestyles, Ecological education, Ecological spirituality, Community engagement or participatory action (as in the illustration below). The seven goals are yearly rolled out to the seven sectors; each to be implemented in seven years.
The seven sectors include: Diocese; (families and parishes); Educational institutions (schools and universities et.al); Health Institutions; (hospitals and healthcare centres); Economy (businesses, cooperatives, farms et.al); Organizations and groups (ecological communities, movements, NGOs); Communication outlets (Media Houses, centres, foundations et.al) and; Religious orders (communities, provinces, regions).
Laudato Si Fifth Anniversary Year concludes on 24th May 2021, yet, the journey towards sustainable local communities in the spirit of integral ecology and Laudato Si’ will continue with the LSAP (at this link you can find the brochure with more details). The LSAP looks to fill this gap by offering inspiration, resources and a flexible framework to translate the values and knowledge of Laudato Si’ into communities of action around the world. In order to realize this dream, your help is much needed!
The Consecrated Persons are urged to assist in inviting and strengthening networks to participate in sharing of resources. Once the platform is launched, help participants chart their course towards the Laudato Si’ Goals, serve as a sounding board and offer guidance and expertise, where needed, collaborate across sectors and regions, Provide ongoing support to LSAP participants.
