Care for Our Common Home

Canticle of Creation: Laudato Sí

Laudato Si’s distinctive theme, “care for our common home,” makes it a milestone that has touched our hearts profoundly and brought us together to advance our mission to care for our imperiled planetary home.

Striving for unity in diversity, organizational and grassroots members come together to pray, collaborate and mobilize in response to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”

You can learn more and engage in the Laudato Sí Movement at https://laudatosimovement.org/.

The Laudato Sí Movement has three strategic goals which are the guiding stars for all of our efforts:

1 – Ecological Conversion To encourage a change of heart of the Catholic faithful and motivate a more passionate concern for our common home, enshrining creation care as a Catholic priority.

2 – Full Sustainability To help the Catholic community lead by example by embodying the “Less is More” motto and shrinking its footprint to zero, in line with the urgency of the climate and ecological crises.

3 – Prophetic Advocacy To mobilize the Church to raise a prophetic voice for climate and ecological justice, calling for bold policies to accomplish the Paris Agreement’s goal of 1.5C and halt biodiversity collapse.

The founding group chose St. Francis of Assisi as the movement’s patron saint, recalling that he is the patron saint of ecology. (It’s worth noting that several Franciscan organizations were LSM founding members.)

Canticle of Creation
by Saint Francis of Assisi

O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God,
to you belong praise, glory, honour and all blessing.
Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation
and especially for our Brother Sun,
who brings us the day and the light;
he is strong and shines magnificently.

O Lord, we think of you when we look at him.
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon, and for the stars
which you have set shining and lovely in the heavens.
and every kind of weather by which you, Lord,
uphold life in all your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water,
who is very useful to us,
and humble and precious and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire,
through whom you give us light in the darkness:
he is bright and lively and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother,
who nourishes us and sustains us,
bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds
and flowers of many colours.

Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of you;
and for those who bear sickness and weakness
in peace and patience - you will grant them a crown.
Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Death,
whom we must all face.
I praise and bless you, Lord, and I give thanks to you,
and I will serve you in all humility.