Do we still hear the plea from Laudato Si’? By Julie Peller Ph.D.

Green Junction

May 2025 marks the 10^th anniversary of Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’, on Care for our Common Home, his written plea to humanity to address environmental degradation through conversions of the heart. Like many Catholics, I expected significant shifts by church leaders toward care for creation after the release of this encyclical. National Catholic Reporter Michael Wright’s article this month exemplifies a perspective shared by many: “I’m still waiting for the US church to have an ‘ecological conversion’.” He explains, “the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has addressed environmental issues, including climate change, both in their guide for faithful citizenship and on their website. However, given the gravity of the climate crisis, the bishops’ conference has underprioritized this as a grave issue of human life and dignity.” In an article by Tomas Insua, he states, “Despite Francis’ groundbreaking appeal, the ecological crisis and the climate emergency continue to worsen.”

The magazine has published several other articles highlighting this anniversary. In Daniel Horan’s column “Laudato Si’ at 10: Touch the earth right in front of you,” he suggests that people often fail to connect humanity and nature. “We “live” in our heads through our phones and other devices, increasingly spending time distracted from what is right before us, whether that is other people and creatures or the landscape that surrounds us.” He emphasizes the human need to connect with one’s places or niches in creation and writes “near the end of Laudato Si’ Pope Francis exhorted all Christians to get involved in practical ways to better care for “our common home,” especially our local places.”

An article by the Laudato Si’ Movement, US Advocacy Working Group, is “For 10 years, Laudato Si’ motivates grassroots Catholic climate activists.” The article summarizes many of the important movements that were in some way motivated by Pope Francis’s call to action. “Women religious are instigating incredible transformations on their properties, from installing solar arrays to surveying grounds to discover ideal locations for native plants, removal of aquatic barriers, creation of pollinator pathways, and more. Catholic universities are investing in more environmental studies options, and divesting their investments from the further use and abuse of fossil fuels.” The closing statement of the article reminds us that we need to continue working to repair and care for creation. “In these next 10 years, we hope even more people join the movement, for as Francis said, “Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home.”

Julie Peller, Ph.D., is an environmental chemist (Professor of Chemistry at Valparaiso University). She has been writing a weekly column called The Green Junction for the past seven years and is helping to move the call of Laudato Si to action forward. Her Research Interests are advanced oxidation for aqueous solutions, water quality analyses, emerging contaminants, air quality analyses, Lake Michigan shoreline challenges (Cladophora, water, and sediment contaminants), and student and citizen participation in environmental work.