Climate Change

Climate Change – despite some prominent naysayers – is happening.

Why should Christians be concerned about this? Because the Earth is ‘our common home’. It is our only home and has to be shared by everyone. Also, the regions most affected by Climate Change are often where the poorest communities live.

What can Christians do? All sorts of things! We can look at how we live our own lives and make some personal changes. We can join with others to take community actions – including lobbying our politicians to make sure they understand how much we care about the state of our planet.

Pope Francis’s encyclical :Laudato Si is an inspirational way to start delving into Climate Change more deeply and features prominently in our suggestions below for finding out more and doing more.

FIND OUT MORE – DO MORE

Join the Climate Action Group of the Commission.

This includes Commission members, Laudato Si animators and others who are interested and want to do more.

You are welcome to join in their meetings. Simply email jandp@dioceseofleeds.org.uk and we will put you in touch with the group co-ordinator Trish Sandbach, Commission vice-chair.

COMMISSION RESOURCES ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 Liturgy Suggestions – some ideas about prayers and hymns and where to look for more (8 page A5PDF booklet)

Download

Key Quotes from Laudato Si that can be used as a short reflection (perhaps aided by some suitable images?) . A two page PDF  

Download

Live Simply Award

Some of you may remember CAFOD’s Live Simply’ campaign from a few years ago.

Well, now you can work to make your parish a ‘Live Simply’ parish.

The Live Simply Award Scheme is a great way to involve all sorts of people in your parish to contribute through prayer, individual action and community action towards living in solidarity with the poor and taking better steps to care for our ‘common home’.

Click on the logo to find out more.

Live Simply Awared logo

MEASURE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

Use this calculator guide from the Diocese of Westminster to get an idea of your parish’s Carbon Footprint.

cover of bookletDownload Now!

 

James Martin SJ Summary of Laudato Si

If you want a snappy assessment of Laudato Si then try this video by American Jesuit James Martin

Download our summary of the summary!

James Martin takes all of this at a fair pace.

To help you we have a download of a summary of his main points. This was prepared by Michael Emly from the CAFOD Group in Our Lady of Kirkstall parish in NW Leeds.

Download

CLIMATE CHANGE MOTIF

Need a good motif for your Climate change event??

Cathy Mc.Partlan has given permission for the free use of this image

I love my planet motifDownload

CAFOD

CAFOD is not just about responding to disasters or feeding people in developing countries. An integral part of their work is advocating on behalf of the poor so that their stories can be heard.

CAFOD campaigns hard about Climate Change and how it impacts on poor people across the world.

young people campaigning about Climate Change
photo courtesy of CAFOD

 see what  resources CAFOD have for exploring these issues in your parish.

Find out more