Archdiocese of Atlanta Launches Laudato Si’ Action Plan

ATLANTA, November 24, 2015 – In response to Pope Francis’ encyclical on environmental stewardship (Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home), The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta today shares the “Laudato Si’ Action Plan,” giving parishes and citizens various options for reducing their carbon footprint and conserving natural resources.Archbishop Wilton Gregory commissioned the action plan a year ago upon learning that Pope Francis planned to issue an encyclical on the environment. The Laudato Si’ Action Plan was developed by a team of University of Georgia (UGA) scientists immediately after the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical this past June.In his encyclical, Pope Francis highlighted his concern that climate change would have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable in the world.“The Holy Father reminds all of us of our responsibility to care for and respect God’s creation, which He carefully designed to support life for all of nature,” Archbishop Gregory says. “As the designated stewards of the world in which we live, we have been entrusted with this responsibility as a legacy of faith and part of our commitment to the generations that will follow us.”The Laudato Si’ Action Plan contains multiple options that encourage houses of worship, their members and any interested citizen to consider implementing, regardless of resources. These options range from the simple, such as swapping out conventional light bulbs for energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs, to the more difficult, such as cultivating a church community garden or installing rooftop solar panels.In the Laudato Si’ Action Plan’s concluding statement, Archbishop Gregory says, “We must remind ourselves each day that an important component of our personal stewardship is the care of this fragile planet we share.”Read the Laudato Si’ Action Plan here: http://www.archatl.com/catholic-life/refreshatl/