Pentecost Sunday falls on 19 May this year, and this day marks the beginning of Laudato Si’ Week 2024, which celebrates the anniversary of the encyclical letter Laudato Si’ on Care for Our Common Home.
The 2024 theme for this year’s Laudato Si’ Week is: Seeds of Hope, and it encourages everyone to be seeds of hope in our lives and our world, rooted in faith and love. Abundant resources can be found at: https://laudatosiweek.org/
In addition, different events are organised for the week and details are as follows:
On 20 May, at 10:00am Ireland time, a press conference will be hosted in Rome by the European Laudato Si’ Alliance (ELSiA). The conference, titled Do European Catholics care about Ecology?, will unveil the results of the Living Laudato Si’ in Europe survey. This press conference will give an interesting panoramic view of the engagement of Catholics in Europe with Care for Creation. Interested people can join the conference online by registering here. Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore (pictured), Episcopal Coordinator for Laudato Si’ of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, will present the Bishops’ Initiative of returning 30% of parish grounds to Nature. To read more about this initiative click here.
As part of Laudato Si’ Week, Jane Mellett and Anna Keegan, of Trócaire, will host online Contemplation Sessions, with a different meditation around eco-spirituality each day. These sessions will run from 20 to 23 May at 1.00pm for 30 minutes each day. All are welcome to participate. To access the Zoom link for these sessions, participants are encouraged to email jane.mellett@trocaire.org or click here.
On 20 May, from 8:00 to 8:45 pm, the Bishops’ Conference, in collaboration with Trócaire and the Laudato Si’ Movement, invite all to a live webinar titled, Why Christians Care for Creation. This webinar will be hosted by Bishop Martin of Kilmore; Laura Madrigal, Laudato Sí Officer, and Nóirin Lynch, Director, FCJ Spirituality House, who invites the faithful to join them in prayer, listen to the Good News from around the Island Ireland and explore resources available to help care more deeply for Creation. To join this webinar, interested people are encouraged to email laura.madrigal@trocaire.org or click here register for the webinar.
Towards the last days of the Laudato Si’ Week on 25 May, everyone is invited to the Marian Shrine of Knock for the launch of the Creation Walk, which will commence at 10.30am to 3.00pm. Based on Father Brian Grogan’s book Creation Walk: The Amazing Story of a Small Blue Planet, and following an inspirational talk by Dr Niamh Brennan, 30 plaques will be unveiled on the grounds of Knock, on the journey of life in our planet – under God’s loving gaze – from Creation until present. Trained volunteers will be guiding the Creation Walk in the afternoon. All are welcome, and there is no registration required for this event. For more information on the Creation Walk please see here.
Full details can be found on the Laudato Si’ Week website, and you can also join the Laudato Si’ team in one or more of the above activities to celebrate the wonder of Creation and its Creator: Laudato Si’, O mi Signore!!
