In 2015, Pope Francis issued “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” a landmark encyclical that called Catholics and all people of good will to recognize the profound connection between environmental protection, social justice, human dignity and the common good.
Drawing on Scripture, Catholic social teaching and contemporary science, the pope described an “integral ecology” in which care for creation cannot be separated from care for the poor, the vulnerable and future generations. He challenged individuals, communities, businesses and governments to undergo an “ecological conversion,” recognizing that environmental degradation and social inequality are intertwined moral issues requiring both personal responsibility and collective action.
“Laudato Si’” is a vision of hope, inviting people of faith to see the natural world as God’s gift, to live more simply and sustainably, and to work together in building communities that are healthier, more just and more resilient.
As such, last October, parishioners from the Dioceses of Camden and Trenton as well as the Archdiocese of Newark launched the New Jersey Chapter of the Laudato Si’ Movement.
The New Jersey Chapter of the Laudato Si’ Movement connects Catholic social teaching with climate science and public health. It connects Sunday liturgy with weekday choices about energy, transportation, food and advocacy, so that what we profess at Mass shapes how we live the rest of the week. It connects well-resourced communities with frontline neighborhoods that bear the heaviest environmental burdens, making solidarity more than a word in a pastoral letter. This is what Pope Francis means when he writes that “a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach.”
New Jersey Catholics have a particular opportunity. We live in a small, densely populated state with serious environmental challenges and rich networks of parishes, schools, health systems and community organizations. Our chapter can serve as a hub where pastors, parishioners, religious communities, health professionals, educators and young people move from isolated projects to shared strategies.
In practical terms, the chapter can help parishes and diocesan ministries in four key ways.
First, it can form consciences. Many Catholics sense that something is wrong in the way society treats both the earth and those facing poverty, but they may not connect that concern to their faith. Through study groups, retreats, preaching and youth programs, the Laudato Si’ Movement helps people see ecological issues not as political debates but as matters of discipleship, sin and conversion.
Second, it can change Church practices. The credibility of our witness depends on examining our own footprint. The New Jersey chapter can support parishes, schools, hospitals and agencies in reducing emissions, improving energy efficiency, cutting waste, and protecting vulnerable communities. Though individual actions may seem small, taken together, they become visible signs of conversion and hope.
Third, it can amplify voices for environmental justice. Some of New Jersey’s communities are facing greater burdens from pollution, flooding and extreme heat.
Fourth, it can give young people a meaningful role. Many young Catholics are deeply concerned about climate change and often feel the Church is silent on the issue. Laudato Si’ initiatives can invite them into leadership through creation-care projects, parish sustainability efforts and advocacy rooted in faith. When Church leaders take these concerns seriously, young people see that their gifts and commitments are welcomed.
The ecological crisis can feel overwhelming, but “Laudato Si’” calls us to hope. Please join us at our upcoming gathering, which will be held Oct. 17 at Georgian Court University in Lakewood. For more information or to get involved, visit newjersey@lsmchapter.org.
Contributing to this column were Dr. Michael Sims, director of the Office of Life & Justice Ministries, and members of the New Jersey Chapter of the Laudato Si’ Movement: Dr. Elizabeth Cerceo and Terrence Thompson. Cerceo, of The Catholic Community of Christ Our Light in Cherry Hill, is director of Climate Health at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Thompson, of Saint Anthony of Padua parish in Hightstown, is coordinator of the New Jersey chapter and former environment and health adviser for the World Health Organization.
Laudato Si’ In Action
Here are some of the parishes in the Diocese of Camden that are living out the call of “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home” and some of their initiatives:
• The Catholic Community of Christ Our Light, Cherry Hill – Creation care ministry; lectures on climate health and plant-based diets; environmental justice advocacy with an annual day of service; a Care for Creation website; sustainability projects. Contact: careforcreation@christourlight.net
• Sacred Heart, Camden – Environmental justice symposium. Contact: parishoffice@sacredheartofcamden.com
• Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Collingswood – Creation Care Team; community sharing garden on the Holy Saviour site. Contact: cmcnicholssj@yahoo.com, mickey.steinitz@gmail.com
• Saint Thomas More and Saint Mary, Cherry Hill – Recycling of 4,000 pounds of thin film plastic; Pathways to Sustainable Living Workshop Series by Villanova University; speakers such as Catholic Climate Covenant. Contact: Chris Baeckstrom at cbaeckst@gmail.com
• Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Marmora – Support for vulnerable parishioners through recycling furniture; presentations on “Care for Our Common Home”; film showings; informational sessions after Masses; on-site pollinator garden and parish vegetable garden; coordinated advocacy efforts on environmental issues. Contact: Joe Mitchell jmitchell@whyy.org or Ann Dunphy annd3344@yahoo.com
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