At a recent webinar in preparation for Laudato Si’ Week (16-24 May 2025) and the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, Sue Martin and I reflected on the ecological journey that Pope Francis has taken us on in the past 10 years.
Read Part one of this series here.
Key insights from Laudato Si’
As part of this reflection, we shared some key insights from the encyclical that we deeply cherish, including what Pope Francis and his predecessors called “ecological conversion”. This idea responds to an issue that Francis identified at the roots of both environmental and social problems of our time, a “dominant technocratic paradigm” (Laudato Si’ no. 101).
Our late Pope described this technocratic paradigm as an unquestioned and uncritical belief in the benefits of scientific and technological progress as well as economic development and growth, paired with the notion of controlling nature and asserting power over it for our human use. He explained that scientific, technological and economic development, “when well directed, can produce important means of improving the quality of human life”, but that they have “not been accompanied by a development in human responsibility, values and conscience” (nos. 103-105).
Therefore, our use of and reliance on technology and economic growth have been misguided in harmful ways that lead to the exploitation of our planet, of nature, and of people, especially those who are poor, vulnerable and marginalised. Ironically, we currently try to solve many environmental and social problems mainly through more technological and economic progress, rather than by firstly addressing the underlying technocratic paradigm.
Parishioners from Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Greystanes working in a local community garden. Image: Supplied.
Ecological conversion is a faith response to the technocratic paradigm. It can be described as a change of heart that leads us to see ourselves as part of God’s creation, rather than above or outside of it, and to deeply love our fellow human beings and every part of nature like kin or family. This change of heart is rooted in the faith in God as the loving Creator and Sustainer of everything, and in the transformative encounter with Jesus Christ, through whom “all things were made” (Nicene Creed).
As Pope Francis himself put it: “as part of the universe, called into being by one Father, all of us are linked by unseen bonds and together form a kind of universal family, a sublime communion which fills us with a sacred, affectionate and humble respect” and a sense of “mutual responsibility”, which translates into action: into caring for our fellow human beings and God’s entire creation (Laudato Si’ nos. 89 + 67).
Milestones of the past 10 years since Laudato Si’
Ecological conversion can be very personal and individual, yet the “ecological conversion needed to bring about lasting change is also a community conversion” (no. 219). Following this call for conversion, the Church at all levels has responded to Laudato Si’ in the past 10 years. At the recent webinar, Sue and I highlighted the following milestones:
- The establishment of a new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in the Roman Curia in 2016/17, which was directly inspired by Laudato Si’.
- The annual celebration of Laudato Si’ Week since 2020.
- The launch of an international Laudato Si’ Action Platform in 2021, which provides a framework and practical tools to protect our common home, guided by the pursuit of seven Laudato Si’ Goals.
- The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement 2021-22 “Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor”, which called for an ecological conversion and invited all Catholics in Australia to pursue the Laudato Si’ Goals.
- Decree 8 of the 5th Plenary Council of Australia, which in 2022 called “each Catholic parish, diocese, eparchy, educational institution or organisation” to develop a Laudato Si’ Action Plan.
- Caritas Australia’s Catholic Earthcare Programs, which many parishes, schools and organisations in the Diocese of Parramatta and across the country have joined.
- A commitment in the Diocese of Parramatta’s Pastoral Plan for a Synodal Church 2024-2028 towards the “establishment of a Laudato Si’ Action Plan for all large agencies, ministries and companies within the Diocese”.
A recording of the webinar with Sebastian and Sue will soon be available on the Australian Cardijn Institute’s website.
To learn more about how to engage with Laudato Si’ in the Diocese of Parramatta, visit Care for the Environment, or subscribe to the monthly Peace, Justice & Ecology News from the Diocese’s Mission Enhancement Team (MET).
Sebastian Salaske-Lentern is the Peace, Justice & Ecology Coordinator for the Diocese of Parramatta and a member of MET.
