From 24 to 31 May, the Diocese of Palmerston North marked the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’. The theme, Planting the Seeds of Hope, was paired with the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of St. Francis. With this in mind, we grounded our study of Laudato Si’ in the deep spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi — whose name and spirit inspired His Holiness Pope Francis.
We explored the seven goals of Laudato Si’ through the See, Judge, Act methodology of Catholic Social Teaching. These official goals are:
- Response to the Cry of the Earth – a call to protect our common home for the well-being of all, as well as to promote sustainable development.
- Response to the Cry of the Poor – defending human life and dignity, especially for the most vulnerable.
- Ecological Economics – acknowledging that the economy is a sub-system of human society, which itself is embedded within the biosphere.
- Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles – grounded in the idea of sufficiency and promoting sobriety in the use of resources and energy.
- Ecological Education – rethinking and redesigning curricula and educational institutions in the spirit of integral ecology.
- Ecological Spirituality – recovering a religious vision of God’s creation, encouraging greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder and praise.
- Community Engagement and Participatory Action – to care for creation at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Taken together, these goals provide a prayerful and practical framework for caring for our Common Home. They reflect the hope that people of goodwill, even at this eleventh hour, can rise to the challenge of climate change and respond with courage and compassion. This is our hope.
On Wednesday, 28 May, those who braved the storm to attend a screening of The Letter: A Message for Our Earth were rewarded with the powerful stories of five remarkable individuals — from Brazil, Senegal, India, and Hawai‘i. Each prophetic voice called us to action.
Indigenous leader Dada Borari from the Amazon inspired us to care for the environment in any way we can and, where possible, to engage in advocacy on behalf of Indigenous peoples. As Pope Francis reminds us, “when they remain on their land, they themselves care for it best.”
Aroune Kande, a climate refugee from Senegal, encouraged us to stay informed about climate change so we can support those who may be confused or misinformed. He urged us to stand with our Pacific Island sisters and brothers, whose homelands are threatened by rising seas. We were also challenged to turn off unnecessary lights, plant trees, reduce car travel, and — at the parish level — undertake a “green assessment” of our energy use and carbon footprint.
Ridhima Pandey from India gave voice to the concerns of young people. She invited us to consider the kind of world we are leaving for future generations. Participants expressed serious concern about the rise of fascism and militarism, noting that such ideologies prioritise military spending and resource extraction — exacerbating climate change. The environmental consequences of war, from emissions to ecological destruction, cannot be ignored. It was also strongly felt that technology alone will not save us. Instead, we must reclaim traditional values, learn to make things that last, and rediscover the virtue of simplicity — of knowing when enough is enough.
Scientists Greg Asner and Robin Martin, researching the impacts of climate change on coral reefs in Hawai‘i, reminded us of the critical importance of scientific and empirical data. It is vital to demonstrate to sceptics that ocean warming and acidification are real and devastating. These processes are causing widespread coral bleaching and death, which threatens to shift entire marine ecosystems towards less diverse and more degraded states.
Laudato Si’ Week came to a joyful close at Kopua Monastery — a sacred place for many of us. On 31 May, members of the Palmerston North Interfaith Group joined the talented Otutaha Whānau (Auckland) and members of the Panguru Parish (Northland), who drove 11 hours to take part in the annual King’s Birthday weekend working bee. Led by Mike Stone from St. Brigid’s Parish, the Habitat Restoration Project at Kopua aims to restore native biodiversity. Our tasks for this particular weekend were:
- Release (weed) trees supported by bamboo stakes along Stephens Way, Roberts Way, and Benedicts Way.
- Remove Spanish broom along Kopua Road and monastery land downstream from the Manawatū River bridge.
- Clear a ridgeline of 12+ large barberry bushes and assorted rubbish along a potential new walkway.
- Plant trees along Benedicts Way where marked with orange-tipped bamboo stakes.
- Install a permanent stone seat and begin the development of new walkways: St. Benedicts Way and St. Bernard’s Way.
Task 5 proved so labour-intensive that work continued throughout the long weekend.
Working alongside such warm and committed people was a reward in itself, creating a sense of camaraderie and deep connection. We were also blessed with song, a beautiful lunch, and a rainbow stretching across the hills.
One could almost hear Pope Francis whispering, “Yes, this is exactly what I had in mind.”
Dr Mary Eastham QSM
St. Brigid’s Parish Feilding
Member of the Steering Committee, Diocesan Justice, Peace, Development and Ecology Commission
Member, Religious Diversity Aotearoa Climate Action Group
Catholic Parish of New Plymouth Gathers to Honour Laudato Si’ Week
On Wednesday May 28 we held a prayer for our common home in St Joseph church. We had extended the invitation to other Faith groups in town and included prayers and reflection from different spiritualities. A small group braved the elements to attend.
On May 31 we held a screening of the movie The Letter and were joined by some members of the Methodist and Anglican churches.
We hope this will the start of more interfaith collaboration on the themes of Justice and Peace. We will hold a series of evenings on Laudato Si’ to read the encyclical together and reflect on ways to take action as individuals and as a parish.
Helene Doyle
Member of the JPEDC for New Plymouth parish.