“For we know things can change” (LS 13)

Under the slogan “For we know things can change” (Laudato Si’ 13), Laudato Si’ week was celebrated from 16 to 25 May 2021.

The actions of Jesuit organisations and networks around the Laudato Si’ week have been very varied. Without claiming to be exhaustive, it is worth mentioning the commitment of the Ignatian family to advocate for climate justice subscribed to by numerous organisations and networks. There are also numerous examples of reflection, with the publication of magazines such as issue 17 of Aurora, called EcoActivos, with articles in Latin America or in Europe, with various editorials and articles. Conferences were also organised, such as the one entitled Suffering Humanity: Laudato Si and Fratelli Tutti or others with other networks.

Some of our institutions proposed initiatives ranging from ecological conversion tips, ways to live Laudato Si, the 21 days challenge on climate justice, or the campaign to be launched by the Canada-USA Conference and Ignatian Solidarity Network connecting the Laudato Si Action platform with the Ignatian year. Other actions that connect us to the ground are the initiative to plant 40,000 trees in various countries in Southeast Asia or related to education and ecology, as well as the promotion of biodiversity in schools. All these actions show us that things can change.

We cannot heal this earth by ourselves. Healing begins by joining with others, and becoming collaborators in the care of our common home

Fr Arturo Sosa SJ

The Laudato Si week culminated with the presentation of the Laudato Si Action Platform, a seven-year plan, organised by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Integral Human Development, of which we are a member of the Board of Directors.  It is an action plan with seven objectives aimed at achieving integral ecology: responding to the cry of the Earth and the poor, ecological economics, the adoption of simple and sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality and community engagement.

As the Society of Jesus we have these seven years to commit ourselves, together with other Church groups, to an integral human ecology which, as the Pope says, is “leaven for a new society”. The Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, pointed out: “Never has our commitment to care for our common home and to heal this broken world been more urgent. We cannot heal this earth by ourselves. Healing begins by joining with others, especially the most affected and vulnerable, the poor, the indigenous, the migrants, the refugees… and becoming collaborators in the care of our common home.”

According to Fr Xavier Jeyaraj SJ, Secretary for Social Justice and Ecology: “The Society of Jesus, through the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP) resolved to collaborate in the care of our common home from February 2019. The Universal Apostolic Preference invites every Jesuit and collaborator to commit to be part of the wider process of discernment and conversion to Laudato Si’ at all levels: personal, communal and institutional. Therefore, we will earnestly strive to see all things new in Jesus, and commit ourselves to ecological conversion in all our apostolic works.”