The project Caritas Laudato Si’ in Poland was inspired by the Pope Francis encyclical, written “on care for our common home”. We started last year and focused on grassroots activity to inspire people in their daily routine.
The next steps have already begun – strong social campaign, mobilization and movement towards bigger changes among media, stakeholders, associations and other entities in a society. This combination may have a real impact of integral ecology in Poland.
While in one part of the world we have so much food it gets thrown away, there are countries living in, or on the brink of, constant hunger. There are places where people do not have access to safe drinking water, while some people waste it for green lawns and long baths. We use more and more plastic, even though the Earth’s capacity to store it is limited. That is why Caritas Laudato Si’ promotes ecology in Poland and invites people to make changes in their local communities. This project brings up the message “The Cry of the Poor and the Cry of the Earth” and strives to balance today’s reality.
Local projects
Our communities, families, schools and parishes have power to make a real impact and improvement for the global environmental situation. That is why one of the most important parts of the project are local, grassroots initiatives. In 12 dioceses there are teams, which write projects answering ecological challenges in their areas. Their creative work is supported financially (with grants for the implementation of projects) and substantively (by a team of animators and specialists in the field of ecology). In this way they respond to the various challenges they meet: food waste, smog and air pollution, disappearing species, harmful chemicals around us (in fertilizers, in homes and cleaning products, in food). They pray for creation, raise awareness and sensitivity for the world around us and for our brothers and sisters. More than 120 projects will happen this year in Poland.
Mobile Embassy
Among the many ways to inspire people, simple conversation may be the most powerful tool. That is why Caritas Laudato Si’ travels around Poland with the Mobile Embassy and invites people for workshops, conferences and exhibitions about ecology. Father Cordian Szwarc OFM is a facilitator of this, and he meets people to bring them the perspective of Laudato Si’.
Social Campaign
Our message is based on simplicity. We promote a humble life, we encourage a return to our zero-waste traditions, and we give ideas on how each of us may make a difference. All creation, all birds, plants, animals, lakes, rivers and seas, the sun and the moon give glory to the Lord God. The beautiful world that surrounds us is a gift for us, but also a task. The biblical exhortation “Make the earth subordinate to yourselves” (Genesis 1:28) reminds us that man, distinguished among all creatures, is also called to serve the creatures and to take special responsibility. This thought guides the volunteers of Caritas Laudato Si’ project and this is the voice of our social campaign in social media and online, in the press, on TV, radios and every possible means of communication.
Meet us!
www.laudatosi.caritas.pl
www.facebook.pl/CaritasLaudatosi
Instagram: si.laudato
