The Letter: Laudato Si Film Released Today

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The Letter, the #laudatosi film, is out today. No coincidence that it is also the Feast of St Francis. Watch & listen to people from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawaii as they articulate a radical vision for the protection of Creation.

In 2015, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ (The Letter); an encyclical letter about the environmental crisis to every single person in the world. A few years later, four voices that have gone unheard in global conversations have been invited to an unprecedented dialogue with the Pope. Hailing from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawaii, they bring perspective and solutions from the poor, the indigenous, the youth, and wildlife into a conversation with Pope Francis himself. This documentary follows their journey to Rome and the extraordinary experiences that took place there, and is packed with powerfully moving personal stories alongside the latest information about the planetary crisis and the toll it’s taking on nature and people. Because, in the words of the Laudato Si’ Movement chair Lorna Gold, “once you know, you CANNOT look away.” #LaudatoSiFilm

Podcast: Earth’s Twin Crises: Biodiversity Loss + Climate Change

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Today is the release date for the third episode of Jubilee for the Earth: Biodiversity and Our Sacred Story.

You can watch the episode here, called “Earth’s Twin Crises: Biodiversity Loss + Climate Change.”

About the Episode

In an article for the Australian Academy of Sciences, Professor Ary Hoffman writes: “even small changes in average temperatures can have a significant effect upon ecosystems. … The interconnected nature of ecosystems means that the loss of species [because of climate change] can have knock-on effects upon a range of ecosystem functions.”

Every day, scientists are learning more and more about how climate change accelerates biodiversity loss, and about how biodiversity loss worsens climate change. Their work has made it clear that we need to solve both crises together.

For example, the United Nations observes that conserving or restoring habitats can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while adopting climate-smart ways of farming can significantly reduce greenhouse gas pollution. This shows us how caring for the planet’s biodiversity is a great way to care for the planet’s climate.

Recognizing that we have to address both crises together also allows us to get at an even deeper truth: that climate change and biodiversity loss are not separate problems, but actually two consequences of one deeper problem. The problem is our over-extractive economy that prioritizes growth-at-any-cost over the common good of all creatures. Even though the climate and biodiversity crises are existential threats to a healthy planet, we must also address their root cause. Because if we don’t, then even if we do manage to solve our planet’s twin crises, our over-extractive economy will simply keep creating new ones into the future.

We hope you enjoy this episode of Jubilee for the Earth.

In Solidarity,

St. Columban Mission for Justice, Peace and Ecology

P.S. The fourth episode of Jubilee for the Earth will be released on September 22, called “Saqueando Nuestra Tierra: La Pérdida de Biodiversidad + Sobreexplotación.” It will be in Spanish. 

EarthBeat introduces Instagram video series for Season of Creation

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The Season of Creation is officially underway. This ecumenical celebration of God’s presence in nature is observed by Christians worldwide, having begun Sept. 1 and culminating on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Oct. 4.

In hopes of encouraging mindful engagement with the season, EarthBeat has partnered with young poet Desiré Findlay to create short meditative videos for praying through themes of ecology and spirituality along the way.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @EarthBeatNCR to access all 10 video reels as they are rolled out one by one throughout the month, and deepen your prayerful experience of the 2022 Season of Creation.