Ecological Repentance: The Message of Laudato Si’

As the world continues to develop economically and technologically, our common home, the Earth, is being continuously damaged. The Earth is suffering ecologically. Countless animal species, numerous ecosystems, and the welfare of living beings are being sacrificed to sugar-coated promises of a so-called utopia of plastic and overconsumerism, and to satiate the greed of humans.

Greed or gratitude—which fuels your life? Pope Francis’s urgent letter, Laudato Si’, says our answer is killing the planet. His encyclical, published in 2015, is an urgent warning signal to address the global ecological crisis. The legacy of the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church highlights the correlation between the environment, economic activities, and social issues. It serves as a warning to us about the effects of human activities, such as consumerism and industrialisation, on the environment and humanity. He suggests that ill habits of consumerism (greediness) can cause us to turn a blind eye to the well-being of the environment. Making us not care about the disastrous consequences of our irresponsible actions.

Thus, in this encyclical, Pope Francis invites everyone, not just Catholics, to ecological repentance — a repentance towards Mother Earth for the irresponsibility and harm we have condoned towards her. Pope Francis encourages the habit of living sustainably, having a sense of responsibility towards the environment, and gratitude for what we own (to reduce overconsumerism), as well as love for the living. To join the movement of ecological repentance is simple. We can start by throwing our waste properly and using eco-friendly alternatives to plastic in our daily lives.

Not only that, he encourages cooperation on all scales; between individuals, communities and even countries. Through this, he believes that together we will be able to create policies, act efficiently and protect everyone, especially vulnerable groups, from the disastrous effects of this environmental crisis.

To sum it all up, through Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ warning is clear: Without radical love for our Earth, our ‘common home’ becomes a tomb. Thus, together we should act responsibly through gratitude and love for our Mother Earth, and everything that lives in our common home, the Earth. Start repairing today—what will your act of repentance be?