Spiritual Care Department supported the Earth day by being able to raised the importance of advocacy that plastic pollution has become an epidemic in the world. It is all around our home, communities, parishes, schools, restaurants, streets, rivers, beaches, etc. How do we stop and be more aware that we are all contributors to this epidemic? How do we stop our arrogance against nature that we cannot do whatever we want in terms of our shopping, eating, and living practices having the plastics parts of the daily consumption and trash? By the questions that we gave to the employees in one of our hospitals, it helped to stop people that there is an issue and they too can raise awareness that there is an issue to be tackled. We sponsored a raffle in one of our hospitals during the Earth Month to raise awareness and ask the people about the three questions:
1. What is the theme of this year’s (2024) Earth Day? Stop Plastic
2. Plastics are a danger to humanity and all living creatures, disrupting the delicate balance of life on earth. True
3. United States Health costs this much increase due to chemicals used in plastics: $200 Billion
It was reported that there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish by 2050. This is how bad the situation is unless something radical is put in place to stop the epidemic on plastic. Daphne Bramham: There could be more plastic than fish in oceans by 2050 | Vancouver Sun
Pope Francis, through Laudato Si, is teaching us that we are all connected and where everything impacts another creature or entity in the bios. Pope Francis has been advocating and inviting people of the world towards ecological conversation. Even further, Yaka in his article “Rethinking Justice: Struggles for Environmental Commons and the Notion of Socio‐Ecological Justice,” argues that with a socio-ecological consciousness we become aware that human and non-human life can co-exist with dignity.
Everybody has their own way of expressing their care of the earth and perhaps some are not yet aware of how their carbon footprint impacts the bigger picture. Each of these contributes to the climate change which we all share. Pope Francis wrote the Laudate Deum as a follow-up on what has transpired since the Laudato Si in 2015.
· What have you done differently for Laudato Si or what are you able to do for Laudato Si Care of our Common Home?
· How do you see the Laudate Deum of Pope Francis helping in raising the urgency of the Climate Crisis?
· What are you able to do for your community knowing about this topic?
June 5 is the World Environment Day, let us be mindful that the environment is a common good and deserves our attention to be mindful stewards of it. Find out more about this event in https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/world-environment-day-2024
Written by Sr. Marylou Rodriguez CCVI.