“Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.”
– from the Prayer over the Offerings
beginning the Liturgy of the Eucharist

“Encountering God does not mean fleeing from this world or turning our back on nature….God himself became man and gave himself as food for his creatures….He comes not from above, but from within, he comes that we might find him in this world of ours” (Laudato Si’, nos. 235-6). During these years of Eucharistic Revival, Pope Francis (citing Benedict XVI) “reminds us that “in the bread of the Eucharist, ‘creation is projected towards divinization, towards the holy wedding feast, towards unification with the Creator himself.’” Let us commit ourselves, “impelled by the Eucharist to hear the cry of the poor, and respond in love…to hear the cry of the earth and, likewise, respond with loving care” (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, 2021).

The Letter is available to watch and share online. Want to see the film or host a screening? 

Visit theletterfilm.org

Learn About Laudato Si’

1. “What in the movie opened your eyes, inspired, or puzzled you, that you would like to discuss?”

• Read Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si: on care for our common home
• Watch and share “The Letter: A Message for Our Earth”
• Study Guide and Resource Links from the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops
• CST 101 | Care for God’s Creation Video
• Animation for children | CAFOD
• How do you see the world? One Climate, One World animation | CAFOD
• Laudato Si – CRS High School Animated Brief Video

2. “What is happening globally to meet the challenge of climate change?”

• Catholic Climate Covenant (focus on U.S. Church)
• Laudato Si’ Movement (U.S. and global)
• CRS Climate Campaign 
• Laudato Si Action Platform
• Global Solidarity Fund

3. “What does my food, our soil (and water?), and Eucharistic solidarity have to do with one another?”

• Caring for Our Common Home: Eucharistic Solidarity
• Laudato Si’ – Future of Food – Food for All
• Advocacy on the Farm Bill
• Catholic Relief Services
•  Bread for the World
• Kiss the Ground (Regenerative Agriculture)
• Wholemakers: A Journey in Ecological Conversion for Young Adults

Pray

4. “What is your favorite moment of creation?” and How might we pray?

5. “What have we done to damage creation? Wnad where to we need to repent?”

• Laudato Si’ Prayer Book
• Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching
• An Examination of Conscience through Laudato Si’ (Dr. Meghan Clark)

Act

6. “What practical steps can I/my parish community take today to make lifestyle changes?”

• 10 Ways You Can Make a Difference
• 10 Ways Your Parish Can Make a Difference
• RCBO Life, Justice, & Peace Ministry Care for Creation/Environmental Justice page
• St. Joseph Justice Center Environmental Justice and Ecology

7. “Many parishes around the country are forming parish Care for Creation groups. What are those and how can I join or start one at my parish?”

• Form Your Own Care for Creation Team (Catholic Climate Covenant)
• Become a Laudato Si’ Animator (Laudato Si’ Movement)

8. “How can I get involved for Care for Creation and ecological justice here in my own neighborhood?”

• Local Gardens and Agriculture
  • Garden of Hope – Catholic Charities Orange County
  • Orange Home Grown Farm
  • The Ecology Center
  • Tanaka Farms
• Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL)
• Fridays for Future (Catholic Solidarity with “Fridays for Future”)
• Orange County Environmental Justice
• Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment
• Right to Breathe Documentary – South Coast Air Quality Management District
• Algalita (Ending Plastics Pollution)

Care for Creation: Getting Started 

The problem of climate change may seem overwhelming as an individual, but every small step makes a difference in our global effort toward Caring for Creation. No effort is too small. Consider taking a pledge today with an organization dedicated toward making a positive change.

Catholic Climate Covenant
Take the St. Francis Pledge to care for creation and the poor
Haga la Promesa de San Francisco para cuidar de nuestra casa común

Laudato Si’ Movement
How much time do you have to save God’s creation?
¿Cuánto tiempo tienes para salvar la creación de Dios?

Catholic Relief Services’ Campaign on Climate Change
Care for Our One Planet, One Family
Llamados a cuidar de nuestro planeta, de nuestra familia

Action Platform
Enroll in the Action Platform to take concrete actions in the care of our common home
Regístrate en la Plataforma de Acción para tomar acciones concretas por el cuidado de nuestra casa común