“The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (LS 13).
Our Mission
To inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice, in collaboration with all people of good will.
Our Name
Laudato Si’ has been and continues to be the cornerstone of our movement, even as the Magisterium of the Church has continued to evolve with texts such as Querida Amazonia and Fratelli Tutti. Laudato Si’ is just one milestone in the long tradition of Catholic Social Teaching, a tradition we embrace wholeheartedly; but Laudato Si’s distinctive theme, “care for our common home,” makes it a milestone that has touched our hearts profoundly and brought us together to advance our mission to care for our imperiled planetary home. In fact, in the spirit of an integral ecology, many of our key initiatives are named after the encyclical: LS Animators, LS Week, LS Circles, LS Generation, LS Retreats, and more. We also humbly acknowledge that there is a lot of Laudato Si’ action taking place outside of our movement, starting with the Vatican’s own Laudato Si’ Action Platform which we actively support together with many others. We are delighted with so much life inspired by the encyclical and Querida Amazonia.
Our Identity
We are a spirit-led movement that brings Catholics together to accomplish our stated mission, in collaboration with all people of good will. The movement brings together a broad range of Catholic organizations and grassroots members from all over the world. These members walk together in synodality and communion with the universal Church on a journey of ecological conversion. Striving for unity in diversity, organizational and grassroots members come together to pray, collaborate and mobilize in response to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” Guided by a spirit of subsidiarity, when the timing and context are right, together they create or engage with local Laudato Si’ Circles and Chapters and connect with the global movement in a wide range of initiatives to bring Laudato Si’ to life.
Our Members
LSM is a hybrid movement. It can be visualized as a tree with two main branches housing its members: (1) Member Organizations and (2) Grassroots Members: LS Animators and LS Circles.
Chapters bring together both types of members.
Our Values
Grounded in faith and Hope
Our Catholic faith impels us to act. Laudato Si’ inspires our mission. As followers of Jesus Christ, our attitudes and actions are guided by the Scriptures and Catholic Social Teaching. We serve the Church by lifting up the integrity of creation and recognizing the value of caring for God’s creation in our Christian lives.
We live in Gospel hope for “we know that things can change” (LS 13) and “injustice is not invincible” (LS 74). We rejoice in this ministry as an expression of God’s love in our life and for all creation. We entrust our efforts to the Holy Spirit and Mary Queen of Creation..
Committed to Ecological Conversion
We commit to “ecological conversion,” (LS 5, 217, 220) the ongoing transformation of our hearts toward greater love with our Creator and creation. We take time to listen to God’s message in creation “with awe and wonder” (LS 11) and compassionately respond to creation’s cry. We reflect on our words and actions, humbly acknowledge where we are falling short, and practice new ways of living simply and in solidarity with creation.
We embrace contemplation and action: practicing a slow-paced “ecological spirituality” of reflection and prayer, while also urging ambitious action to match the scale of the ecological and climate crises.
Caring for one another
We are called to love one another as Christ has loved us (cf. John 13:34-35). Therefore, we cultivate a “culture of care” (LS 231) for one another, ourselves, and all living beings that share our common home, especially the “most vulnerable” (LS 48, 64), including future generations. We honor each other’s gifts and limitations. We celebrate our relationships.
We tangibly show love for one another when we act in ways that promote the common good. As such, caring for each other embodies a synodal process whereby we journey together in communion with the universal Church, as people of God, on a journey of ecological conversion and care for our common home.
Embracing an Integral and Prophetic Approach
“Everything is connected” (LS 91). As we heed to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” (LS 49), we embrace a worldview of “integral ecology” (LS 137-162), which understands ecological, cultural, social, political, and economic issues as intertwined. We commit to the protection of all human life, from womb to tomb, and in solidarity with communities that carry an unjust burden of the ecological crisis. We also embrace all species as signs of God’s love and members of the flourishing family of creation.
We understand that ambitious action for ecological and climate justice is part of living out the “priestly, prophetical, and kingly functions of Christ” (Lumen Gentium 31), so as to continue Christ’s ministry in the world in which we see “God reflected in all that exists” (LS 87). Our prophetic action encourages us to challenge structures of sin and call for “radical change” (LS 171), while being open to dialogue. Our work is always nonviolent and nonpartisan..
Cultivating Unity in Diversity
We are nourished by the rich diversity of creation and in the Church, striving for unity in caring for our common home while honoring the unique gifts each individual or organization brings. We live a “spirituality of global solidarity” (LS 240), which unites us for globally-coordinated action that is adapted to local contexts and expertise. We open space for collaboration between organizations and individuals across borders and regions.
We are both in the Church and in the world. We serve alongside the whole Catholic family, while building bridges with other Christians, other faith communities, and social and environmental movements as a single human family, acknowledging that the love for creation “calls us together into universal communion” (LS 76).
Strategic Goals
LSM has three strategic goals which are the guiding stars for all of our efforts to bring Laudato Si’ to life:
1 – Ecological Conversion
To encourage a change of heart of the Catholic faithful and motivate a more passionate concern for our common home, enshrining creation care as a Catholic priority.
2 – Full Sustainability
To help the Catholic community lead by example by embodying the “Less is More” motto and shrinking its footprint to zero, in line with the urgency of the climate and ecological crises.
3 – Prophetic Advocacy
To mobilize the Church to raise a prophetic voice for climate and ecological justice, calling for bold policies to accomplish the Paris Agreement’s goal of 1.5C and halt biodiversity collapse.
Ecological conversion
Sustainability
Advocacy
Our Story
Laudato Si’ Movement was born in 2015
Laudato Si’ Movement was born in 2015 and is the fruit of a kairos – the Greek word used in the Gospel to express “an opportune moment.” The kairos of 2015 was the combination of two transformative events that would shape how the Church and humanity responded to the ecological crisis: the Laudato Si’ encyclical release and the Paris Climate Agreement.
First, Pope Francis wrote and released the encyclical letter “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” the first-ever papal encyclical devoted to the crisis of our planetary home. Inspired by his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi and his deep communion with all Creation (best captured in the Canticle of the Creatures that inspired the encyclical’s title), the Pope issued a powerful appeal to the Church and “all people of good will” to urgently come together and respond to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”
Second, with the backdrop of increasingly starker warnings from the scientific community about the severity of the climate emergency, leaders from nearly 200 nations gathered at the U.N. Paris Climate Summit (COP21) to agree and sign the Paris Agreement. After 21 years of failed negotiations, nations of the world had a deadline to finally agree on a common plan that would tackle the climate crisis before it was too late.
Philippines
Months before those two events (Laudato Si’ was released in June and the Paris Climate Summit took place in December 2015), in the midst of the momentum that was building and the wide media coverage anticipating both events, Laudato Si’ Movement was launched on January 15, 2015, inspired by the Holy Spirit. That was the day Pope Francis arrived in the Philippines for a highly symbolic trip that would feature a visit to Tacloban, the epicenter of the Super Typhoon Haiyan. The disaster killed more than 10,000 people and left 13 million homeless.
Haiyan became a symbol of the climate crisis as it was the strongest storm ever recorded, and scientists explained that it was intensified by climate change. As if emphasizing the urgency of “the signs of the times,” another typhoon hit Tacloban the same day that Pope Francis visited the town (January 17), reminding him and the Church how poor countries like the Philippines are the ones that suffer the most from the unjust climate crisis. The choice of the Philippines for LSM’s foundation has marked the movement’s commitment to hear “the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.”
During his Philippines trip, Pope Francis was hosted by Cardinal “Chito” Tagle, who as Archbishop of Manila was LSM’s foundational episcopal sponsor and an essential companion for the journey ahead. The Archdiocese of Manila and some Philippine religious orders were part of the foundational group of 17 organizations and 12 leaders from all continents that came together to form LSM. Soon before, sparked by the momentum of the People’s Climate March of September 2014, the group started gathering in December 2014 through weekly Skype calls to coordinate a united Catholic plan to support the upcoming papal encyclical that was being reported by the press – we didn’t know its name back then! – and raise the voice of the Church to call for climate justice and an ambitious agreement at the Paris Climate Summit.
St. Francis
The founding group chose St. Francis of Assisi as the movement’s patron saint, recalling that he is the patron saint of ecology (it’s worth noting that several Franciscan organizations were LSM founding members), and issued a foundational statement that read:
“The Global Catholic Climate Movement is a first-of-its-kind international coalition of Catholics from many nations, continents, and walks of life. We are laity, religious, and clergy, theologians, scientists, and activists from Argentina, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Australia, the United States, and many other nations. We are united by our Catholic faith and our work in various roles and organizations on climate change issues… Pope Francis will be issuing an encyclical about caring for the environment. With this statement, we the undersigned now seek to help bring these teachings of the Church to the world.”
Climate justice
The first year of LSM was an unexpected explosion of energy and life. The initial group of founding members quickly grew to include 300 Catholic organizations by the end of the year and a vast network of grassroots leaders who coalesced around the goal of supporting the encyclical and mobilizing for an ambitious Paris Climate Agreement. A tiny secretariat, which is the central team supporting the movement, was set up with the support of the Franciscan Action Network. The secretariat initially included Tomás Insua and Christina Leaño, who worked out of university libraries in Boston for the first two years, and Igor Bastos and Fabian Campos, who worked out of Franciscan and Caritas offices, coordinating Latin American efforts.
Petition
Members of the founding Steering Committee had their first in-person gathering in Rome in May 2015, on the occasion of a pre-encyclical preparatory meeting with Vatican officials and Caritas leaders from different continents. The Rome trip included an inspiring encounter with Pope Francis, in which he encouraged the movement to prepare for the upcoming encyclical and shared that he supported the Catholic Climate Petition that LSM had just launched.
As stated in the petition text, LSM’s goal was to push governments to adopt the ambitious goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C, rather than the less ambitious goal of 2°C that the most polluting nations were backing. Energized by the Laudato Si’ release in June 2015, more than 900,000 Catholics signed LSM petition. The effort was largely driven by the Church in the global south, especially in the Philippines, where Cardinal Tagle helped the petition receive widespread support.
The petition signatures were symbolically carried by Filipino “climate pilgrim” Yeb Saño, a member of LSM’s founding board, from the Vatican to Paris in a prophetic two-month pilgrimage. Saño hand-delivered the signatures in deeply moving interfaith events with the high-level officials who hosted the COP21 summit: French President Francois Hollande and UN climate chief Christiana Figueres.
Eventually, after two weeks of frenetic negotiations and huge pressure from the climate movement, including from the memorable Global Climate March that saw 40,000 Catholics participate, the Vatican and many others, the negotiating block of the poorest nations successfully enshrined the 1.5°C goal in the Paris Agreement. The miracle had happened, “for nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37). This 1.5°C victory, in which we Catholics had an important role, set an ambitious bar for all climate action to follow.
After the hectic ride of 2015, the following year saw LSM start what have become some of the cornerstones of its holistic approach: the Laudato Si’ Animators formation program, Season of Creation celebrations, prophetic initiatives, such as the fossil fuel divestment campaign, and creative projects that raise awareness about Laudato Si’, such as the providential screening of a Pope video to three million World Youth Day pilgrims at Krakow.
Transforming
In subsequent years, the movement has continued to expand throughout the globe through a growing number of Laudato Si’ Animators, Circles, Chapters and Member Organizations, all of which continue to drive transformative action to care for our common home. In terms of the movement’s structures, the Steering Committee evolved to have co-chairs, Marianne Comfort (Sisters of Mercy) and Christina Leaño, and a formal legal entity and Board of Directors were set up in 2017, chaired by Amy Woolam Echeverria (Columban Missionaries),
following a planning meeting in Assisi with all LSM bodies (which included a new encounter with the Pope). Soon after, the Secretariat’s main office was relocated to Rome to better serve the Church to “live Laudato Si’” by deepening the collaboration with the Vatican and Rome-based Catholic organizations. And in 2019, LSM established an Episcopal Advisory Council with cardinals from different continents who have been accompanying the movement in its journey.
Adapting
The year 2020 was unlike any other for the world and for the movement. At the beginning of the year, on the occasion of the movement’s fifth anniversary, LSM’s leadership and board were humbled and supremely grateful to have a private audience with Pope Francis. The meeting, which also included Cardinal Tagle, served as a beautiful opportunity to thank Pope Francis for his leadership and share the abundant fruits of the first five years of LSM’s journey.
A few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic forced LSM to scrap its plans to organize events to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’ in May. Instead, the movement remained nimble and, along with hundreds of thousands of people on six continents, united online to pray and reflect on how we can build a better world. With strong support from Pope Francis, LSM and its many members and partners hosted “Laudato Si’ Week,” a week’s worth webinars that helped people all over the world honor the world-changing encyclical and prepare for the next five years in our continued prayerful journey for climate justice.
GCCM announces its new name: Laudato Si' Movement
Our Story
Start
Laudato Si’ Movement was born in 2015
Laudato Si’ Movement was born in 2015 and is the fruit of a kairos – the Greek word used in the Gospel to express “an opportune moment.” The kairos of 2015 was the combination of two transformative events that would shape how the Church and humanity responded to the ecological crisis: the Laudato Si’ encyclical release and the Paris Climate Agreement.
First, Pope Francis wrote and released the encyclical letter “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” the first-ever papal encyclical devoted to the crisis of our planetary home. Inspired by his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi and his deep communion with all Creation (best captured in the Canticle of the Creatures that inspired the encyclical’s title), the Pope issued a powerful appeal to the Church and “all people of good will” to urgently come together and respond to “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”
Second, with the backdrop of increasingly starker warnings from the scientific community about the severity of the climate emergency, leaders from nearly 200 nations gathered at the U.N. Paris Climate Summit (COP21) to agree and sign the Paris Agreement. After 21 years of failed negotiations, nations of the world had a deadline to finally agree on a common plan that would tackle the climate crisis before it was too late.
Philippines
Philippines
Months before those two events (Laudato Si’ was released in June and the Paris Climate Summit took place in December 2015), in the midst of the momentum that was building and the wide media coverage anticipating both events, Laudato Si’ Movement was launched on January 15, 2015, inspired by the Holy Spirit. That was the day Pope Francis arrived in the Philippines for a highly symbolic trip that would feature a visit to Tacloban, the epicenter of the Super Typhoon Haiyan. The disaster killed more than 10,000 people and left 13 million homeless.
Haiyan became a symbol of the climate crisis as it was the strongest storm ever recorded, and scientists explained that it was intensified by climate change. As if emphasizing the urgency of “the signs of the times,” another typhoon hit Tacloban the same day that Pope Francis visited the town (January 17), reminding him and the Church how poor countries like the Philippines are the ones that suffer the most from the unjust climate crisis. The choice of the Philippines for LSM’s foundation has marked the movement’s commitment to hear “the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.”
During his Philippines trip, Pope Francis was hosted by Cardinal “Chito” Tagle, who as Archbishop of Manila was LSM’s foundational episcopal sponsor and an essential companion for the journey ahead. The Archdiocese of Manila and some Philippine religious orders were part of the foundational group of 17 organizations and 12 leaders from all continents that came together to form LSM. Soon before, sparked by the momentum of the People’s Climate March of September 2014, the group started gathering in December 2014 through weekly Skype calls to coordinate a united Catholic plan to support the upcoming papal encyclical that was being reported by the press – we didn’t know its name back then! – and raise the voice of the Church to call for climate justice and an ambitious agreement at the Paris Climate Summit.
St. Francis
St. Francis
The founding group chose St. Francis of Assisi as the movement’s patron saint, recalling that he is the patron saint of ecology (it’s worth noting that several Franciscan organizations were LSM founding members), and issued a foundational statement that read:
“The Global Catholic Climate Movement is a first-of-its-kind international coalition of Catholics from many nations, continents, and walks of life. We are laity, religious, and clergy, theologians, scientists, and activists from Argentina, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Kenya, Australia, the United States, and many other nations. We are united by our Catholic faith and our work in various roles and organizations on climate change issues… Pope Francis will be issuing an encyclical about caring for the environment. With this statement, we the undersigned now seek to help bring these teachings of the Church to the world.”
Climate justice
Climate justice
The first year of LSM was an unexpected explosion of energy and life. The initial group of founding members quickly grew to include 300 Catholic organizations by the end of the year and a vast network of grassroots leaders who coalesced around the goal of supporting the encyclical and mobilizing for an ambitious Paris Climate Agreement. A tiny secretariat, which is the central team supporting the movement, was set up with the support of the Franciscan Action Network. The secretariat initially included Tomás Insua and Christina Leaño, who worked out of university libraries in Boston for the first two years, and Igor Bastos and Fabian Campos, who worked out of Franciscan and Caritas offices, coordinating Latin American efforts.
Petition
Petition
Members of the founding Steering Committee had their first in-person gathering in Rome in May 2015, on the occasion of a pre-encyclical preparatory meeting with Vatican officials and Caritas leaders from different continents. The Rome trip included an inspiring encounter with Pope Francis, in which he encouraged the movement to prepare for the upcoming encyclical and shared that he supported the Catholic Climate Petition that LSM had just launched.
As stated in the petition text, LSM’s goal was to push governments to adopt the ambitious goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C, rather than the less ambitious goal of 2°C that the most polluting nations were backing. Energized by the Laudato Si’ release in June 2015, more than 900,000 Catholics signed LSM petition. The effort was largely driven by the Church in the global south, especially in the Philippines, where Cardinal Tagle helped the petition receive widespread support.
The petition signatures were symbolically carried by Filipino “climate pilgrim” Yeb Saño, a member of LSM’s founding board, from the Vatican to Paris in a prophetic two-month pilgrimage. Saño hand-delivered the signatures in deeply moving interfaith events with the high-level officials who hosted the COP21 summit: French President Francois Hollande and UN climate chief Christiana Figueres.
Eventually, after two weeks of frenetic negotiations and huge pressure from the climate movement, including from the memorable Global Climate March that saw 40,000 Catholics participate, the Vatican and many others, the negotiating block of the poorest nations successfully enshrined the 1.5°C goal in the Paris Agreement. The miracle had happened, “for nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37). This 1.5°C victory, in which we Catholics had an important role, set an ambitious bar for all climate action to follow.
After the hectic ride of 2015, the following year saw LSM start what have become some of the cornerstones of its holistic approach: the Laudato Si’ Animators formation program, Season of Creation celebrations, prophetic initiatives, such as the fossil fuel divestment campaign, and creative projects that raise awareness about Laudato Si’, such as the providential screening of a Pope video to three million World Youth Day pilgrims at Krakow.
Transforming
Transforming
In subsequent years, the movement has continued to expand throughout the globe through a growing number of Laudato Si’ Animators, Circles, Chapters and Member Organizations, all of which continue to drive transformative action to care for our common home. In terms of the movement’s structures, the Steering Committee evolved to have co-chairs, Marianne Comfort (Sisters of Mercy) and Christina Leaño, and a formal legal entity and Board of Directors were set up in 2017, chaired by Amy Woolam Echeverria (Columban Missionaries),
following a planning meeting in Assisi with all LSM bodies (which included a new encounter with the Pope). Soon after, the Secretariat’s main office was relocated to Rome to better serve the Church to “live Laudato Si’” by deepening the collaboration with the Vatican and Rome-based Catholic organizations. And in 2019, LSM established an Episcopal Advisory Council with cardinals from different continents who have been accompanying the movement in its journey.
Adapting
Adapting
The year 2020 was unlike any other for the world and for the movement. At the beginning of the year, on the occasion of the movement’s fifth anniversary, LSM’s leadership and board were humbled and supremely grateful to have a private audience with Pope Francis. The meeting, which also included Cardinal Tagle, served as a beautiful opportunity to thank Pope Francis for his leadership and share the abundant fruits of the first five years of LSM’s journey.
A few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic forced LSM to scrap its plans to organize events to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Laudato Si’ in May. Instead, the movement remained nimble and, along with hundreds of thousands of people on six continents, united online to pray and reflect on how we can build a better world. With strong support from Pope Francis, LSM and its many members and partners hosted “Laudato Si’ Week,” a week’s worth webinars that helped people all over the world honor the world-changing encyclical and prepare for the next five years in our continued prayerful journey for climate justice.
New Name
New Name
The Global Catholic Climate Movement is now the Laudato Si’ Movement. Below you’ll find everything you need to know about the new name, including stories and videos about the synodal discernment process that led to the change, and congratulatory videos from Laudato Si’ Movement members and friends from all over the world. Laudato Si’!
Our Structure
- Board of Directors
- Global Membership Council
- Secretariat
- Advisory Council
Analisa Ramsahai
Analisa Ramsahai currently serves as Secretary of the Board. She resides in Trinidad and Tobago, a country located in the Caribbean region. She holds a BSc. Environmental Natural Resource Management and Biology (Honors) from the University of the West Indies. She is a certified Laudato Si’ Animator and is an active member of the Laudato Si’ Generation Working Group since its inception in 2019. Ms. Ramsahai has also served in the GCCM Steering Committee and then the Global Membership Council from 2019-2023. Ms. Ramsahai worked as the Regional Programme Coordinator for the Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development, a ministry of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother (SSM) from 2019-2023. In addition, Ms. Ramsahai serves as a Board of Director for the Franciscan Institute. The institute is located on the beautiful and serene Caribbean islands of St. Lucia and programmes offered in Grenada and Trinidad. The institute’s mission is dedicated to promoting a culture of peace where right relationships and community are nurtured in the Franciscan tradition of compassion, moderation, simplicity and reverence for all creation. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, graphic design, videography and distance running.
Rev. Dr. Augusto Zampini-Davies
Rev. Dr. Augusto Zampini-Davies is a lawyer (Universidad Católica Argentina, 1993) and theologian (Universidad del Salvador, Argentina, 2006), has a master’s degree in international development (University of Bath, UK, 2009-10), a PhD in theology and economics (University of Roehampton, 2010-2014), and a post-doc from Margaret Beaufort Institute of Cambridge University. He was a theological advisor to CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, UK, 2014-2017), and served as an official and Adjunct Secretary at the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development and of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission (2017-2021). Among other commitments, Augusto has been appointed as one of the experts for the Amazon Synod (2019), has participated at the World Economic Forum in Davos for four years (2018-21), and in several UN COPs for Climate Change, UN sustainable development and artificial intelligence meetings, and OECD, UNESCO and EU meetings on ecology.
Trained in moral theology, with a focus on economics and environmental ethics, Augusto brings a moral lens to issues of human rights, human development, and ecological crisis, among others. He is also experienced in practicing law on an international scale, having worked as a lawyer at the Central Bank of Argentina and at the international law firm Baker & McKenzie before entering the seminary. As a Catholic priest, he has also served and lived among poor communities in Argentina.
Augusto is an Honorary Fellow and has been lecturing on theology, Christian ethics, and human rights since 2004 at various universities in Argentina and the UK. He has received several awards and scholarships, such as the British Council Chevening Scholarship (2009-10), and has been part of different international leadership programmes, including the US Secretary of State International Visiting Leadership Program (IVLP) in 2019, and the Georgetown University Leadership Programme in 2018. He is a Board Member of the European Climate Foundation and of Laudato Si’ Movement.
He is currently serving as a pastor and professor in his diocese of San Isidro, in Buenos Aires, Argentina
David J. Frea
David J. Frea currently serves as Treasurer of the Board. He has been a dedicated advocate for Laudato Si’ since its promulgation in 2015. As parish administrator for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Parish and School in Grove City, Ohio, he collaborated with the Creation Care Committee, which later evolved into the Laudato Si’ Action Team. The team has worked to educate, inspire, and equip the community to embrace the teachings of Laudato Si’.
David also serves as trustee and finance chair for the Mount Carmel Foundation, the philanthropic branch of Mount Carmel Health System, part of Trinity Health—one of the largest Catholic healthcare networks in the United States.
In 2012, he earned a Master of Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Professionally, David founded INFONETICS, Inc., a software and technology company, in 1984. The company was successfully acquired by Datacor, Inc. in 2021.
Kelly Claire Nwachuku
Kelly Claire Nwachuku (née Lavelle) is a longstanding women’s empowerment advocate who has devoted two decades to working towards a more equitable and ecological future. As Founder of ElleSolaire (“SheSolar”) – an award-winning West African non-profit that offers solar training, entrepreneurship and livelihood opportunities to rural underserved women across Senegal – Kelly has spent many years working in village communities, trialling and testing new training methods and co-creating business models to unlock opportunities and break the cycle of poverty and exclusion for women. Since returning to Europe in 2023, Kelly has also returned to the private sector as a senior gender specialist for the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), engaging in research and advisory work to advance transparency and equitable benefit sharing from global infrastructure projects. Kelly graduated in 1998 with a first class dual honours BSc in International Management and French (University of Bath, UK) leading her into a fast-tracked first career in international finance with Arthur Andersen, Deutsche Bank and Reuters, until 2005. Kelly obtained an MSc in Sustainable Business Practice, while working at the University of Cambridge. Kelly is British-Irish, multilingual and lives in the Geneva-area. With her husband, Lorentz, she has three multicultural children and loves spending any spare time together, exploring their passion for nature-based adventures.
Maria Lia Zervino
María Lía Zervino is a member of Servidoras, an association of consecrated women of the Ordo Virginum. She is Argentinian and a sociologist and social worker. She previously served as director of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Argentinean Episcopal Conference. She is looking to deepen the spirituality of ecological conversion, and is part of the Laudato Si Circle of Rome Trastevere. She completed the Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology and the Eco-Exercises (Ignatian retreat in the context of ecological conversion organised by Jesuits in Spain). She promoted social campaigns and training meetings on the encyclical Laudato Si’ in WUCWO (World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations), an international NGO dedicated to women, of which she is former president. Currently, Maria Lía is an advisor of WUCWO’s World Women’s Observatory, co-president of Religions for Peace, consultant to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and member of the Dicastery for Bishops and of the Ordinary Council for the Secretariat of the Synod.
Marianne Comfort
Marianne Comfort currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board. She is justice coordinator for Earth, anti-racism and women for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. She advocates for environmental and climate justice and chairs the Inter-religious Working Group on Extractive Industries, which educates and advocates on the harms of the extraction of natural resources to the environment and to human communities. Marianne is a Mercy Associate, having made a covenant with the congregation in December 2019. She is a member of St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, MD, and active in the Archdiocese of Washington’s Care for Creation Committee. She is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University, a Franciscan institution in western New York State. Marianne is also co-chair of LSM’s Global Membership Council.
Br. Michael Perry, OFM
Br. Michael Perry, OFM was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA in 1954. Michael began his university studies in pre-law at Indiana University. In 1977, Michael joined the Franciscans. He served as a missionary and instructor in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 1981-82 and 1985-1990. Following theology studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, Michael went to the University of Birmingham, UK where he completed Ph.D. studies in religious anthropology. From 2000-2005, Michael served as foreign policy advisor to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC, USA. From 2005-2007, he served as Africa advisor at Franciscans International, and from 2007-2008 at Catholic Relief Services. He was elected provincial of his Franciscan province in St. Louis, Missouri, USA in 2008. The following year, he was elected Vicar General of the Franciscan worldwide Order and was transferred to Rome. From 2013-2021, Michael served as Minister General and Servant of the worldwide Franciscans. In January 2023, he was named Director of the Laudato Si’ Center for Integral Ecology at Siena College, Albany, New York, USA, a position he currently holds. Michael also serves as the president of the International Board of Directors of Franciscans International.
Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ
Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ, born in Tamilnadu, South India, entered the Society of Jesus in 1982 in Kolkata, a place known for the missionary works of St. Mother Teresa. He is a trained social worker, lawyer, human and environmental rights activist and a scholar on ‘Extractivism and mining and its impact on indigenous people and the environment.’ Early in his mission, he taught Sociology at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India, founded a socio-environmental centre called ‘Udayani’ in Kolkata and worked among the most deprived Santal tribals and Dalits in the villages and slums around Kolkata for about ten years. After coordinating the Social apostolate of the Jesuits in South Asia for 6 years, he was appointed the Assistant Director and then Director of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) at the General Curia of the Society of Jesus in Rome, where he served for almost 10 years till January 2024. As SJES director, he advised the Superior General to discern and deepen the commitment to the justice and reconciliation mission, coordinated the Jesuits Conferences and Provinces’ social justice and ecology networks, and promoted and strengthened advocacy links with local-global networks with the Church and civil society organisations and movements. He also served as a Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) board member for 7 years. Soon, he will begin his new teaching and administrative mission at the Jesuit University in Kolkata, focusing on social and environmental justice and advocacy.
Yeb Saño
Yeb Saño currently serves as the Chair of the Board. He is a climate justice activist from the Philippines and is one of the founding board members of LSM. He served as Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia from 2016 to 2025, leading the diverse operations of Greenpeace in the region and in confronting the biggest carbon polluters of the world in the landmark human rights case lodged against top oil and coal companies at the Commission on Human Rights.
He was the Chief Negotiator of the Philippines in the U.N. Climate Convention while serving as Commissioner (Vice-Minister) of the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission from 2010-2015. As a climate negotiator, he was known as a champion for climate justice and was a strong voice for developing countries in the U.N. It can be recalled that he delivered a powerful speech at the U.N. Climate Summit in Warsaw in 2013 in the wake of the devastation from Super Typhoon Haiyan and he led a 14-day climate fast to stand in solidarity with communities at the frontlines of climate impacts. Yeb also founded the Climate Pilgrimage, a movement that aims to highlight communities confronting climate impacts but manifesting resilience and spiritual strength, and which involved a 1500 kilometer walk from Rome to Paris in 2015. The shoes he wore during this journey were ‘retired’ beside Pope Francis’ shoes at the Place de la Republique in Paris. He likewise served as the Pilgrim Leader for the 1500 kilometer walk from Rome to Katowice (Poland) in 2018 and in the 1000 kilometer Climate Justice Walk from Manila to Tacloban in 2023. Yeb is married to an environmental and academic lawyer. They have two children.
Allen Ottaro
CYNESA
Ann Marie Brennan
Christian Life Community
Augustine Doronila
Focolare Movement
Cyprianus Lilik Krismantoro
JPIC Indonesia/ JPIC -Asia
Dan Misleh
Catholic Climate Covenant
Dorismeire Vasconcelos
REPAM, OFS
Fabián Campos
Laudato Si’ Movement
Fr. Paul Igweta
AMECEA (Bishops Conferences of East Africa)
Fray Santiago Gonzalez
OFM- JPIC , CLAR
Hna. Daniela Cannavina
CLAR
Jacqui Remond
Australian Catholic University and LISTEN Network
John Din
Columbans and Philippines Chapter
Kositatino Tikomaibolatagane
Caritas Fiji and Caritas Oceania
Marianne Comfort
Sisters of Mercy
Pedro Duarte Silva
International Scouting
Silvia Alonso
EDIPA Equipo Diocesano Pastoral Ambiental Diócesis San Isidro, RAAD Red Argentina de Ambiente y Desarrollo
Doreen Longres
Maryknoll
Sr. Immaculate Tusingwire
Medical Mission Sisters
Sr. Maamalifar M. Poreku,
UISG
Sr. Maria Lucia Siragusa
Figlie Maria Ausiliatrice (Salesiane)
Xavier Jeyaraj
Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat, Society of Jesus
Alonso de Llanes, Director of LSAP, Monterrey, Mexico
Alonso has been committed to the environment and natural resources from different platforms, including NGOs, consultancy firms, international companies and even the Mexican Congress. He understands the relationship between God and nature and collaborates both in Mexico and France with eco-parish programs. He is a lawyer with a master’s degree in energy law from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon and a master’s degree in energy law and management and sustainable development from the University of Strasbourg in France. He speaks English, French, and Spanish fluently.
Allyssa Wright, North America Programs Coordinator
New Mexico, USA. Allyssa Studied at New Mexico State unviersity and Got a bacholor of Individualized Studies- Focused on Goverment and Anthropology. She comes from a background of community organizing. She comes from a big family full of love. This is why she wanted to join LSM believeing community built on common care is what is going to change the world. To connect to the human heart. This is why she shares a deep love for Laudato Si and a way of living out caring for our common home; to see caring for the land is what touches my heart and out of all this God made me too.
Angela Alejo, People Operations Manager, Valencia, Spain
Angela holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Lima (Peru) and a Master’s in Human Resources Management from the University of Valencia (Spain). She has more than 10 years of experience in Human Resources, working for different types of organizations and leading recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and work climate processes. Her specialization in Coaching and Humanistic-Existential Psychotherapy gives her a person-centered approach, which guides her actions in people management.
Ana Paula Peña, Hispanic America Programs Coordinator
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Business and International Relations, with experience in
administrative management, particularly in non-profit organizations. I have experience in
coordination in international settings, as well as a specialization in International Migration, Refugee Studies, and Human
Rights. I am passionate about theater, which I use as a creative tool in training and communication environments to
effectively convey messages and strengthen interpersonal skills. Currently I serve as Administrative Assistant for the Movement Development and the Hispanoamerica team.
Anna Johnson, Director of North America Seattle, Washington, USA
Anna Johnson works with passionate and talented Catholics across North America for personal and systemic ecological transformation. Prior to joining LSM, she worked for over a decade in Catholic Social Teaching and global solidarity curriculum design and leadership training, particularly with youth and young adults. Anna has a BA in Peace Studies and Political Science from the University of Notre Dame, and an Executive Masters in Sustainability Leadership from Arizona State University, and on any given weekend you can find her outside in the mountains.
Anne Doutriaux, France Programs Coordinator, Châteaudouble, France
Anne is an engineer from the Ecole Centrale Paris. After 10 years of working near Paris, she now lives in a rural village. She has worked for the catechesis of children and volunteers in associative actions about reading.
She likes to create links and to build projects with different people.
Antonio A. Garrido Salcedo, Europe Programs and Special Projects Coordinator, Córdoba, Spain
Córdoba, Spain He studied a double degree in Political Sciences and Law in Granada. With a Master in International Cooperation. His professional career started in Malta and Rome, where he worked in the TV News Agency Rome Reports, the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life in preparation of WYD 2019 in Panama. He also collaborates as an advisor in public relations and communication with different institutions and media.
Anna Kluzińska, Finance and Operations Manager at LSM Poland - Światowy Ruch Katolików na rzecz Środowiska Warsaw, Poland
Anna brings together humanistic background with experience in the field of finances and organisational skills. As an outdoor sports passionate she loves the nature and wants to protect it in the spirit of Laudato si’
Ashley Kitisya, Director of Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
Ashley is a young lawyer from Nairobi, Kenya. She is a committed environmental activist, with experience working with different kinds of organisations. She is working in divestment, climate strikes and net zero emission campaigns. She dreams on a world that runs free of fossil fuel energy.
Benedict Ayodi, Africa Advisor
Nairobi, KenyaA Franciscan friar, previously served as the director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) OFM Capuchins in Rome. Worked as director of Damietta peace Initiative (DPI) promoting inter-faith dialogue, peace, and non-violence. He graduated MA in International Affairs and currently a PhD student in OD. currently residing in New York and partly supporting the advocacy work of Franciscans international at the UN.
Carla Bastidas Jurado, LSAP Program Coordinator, Quito, Ecuador
Carla has a bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology Engineering from the University of the Armed Forces-ESPE and a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University of Hamburg. She has experience in environmental management and consultancy, sustainability, circular economy, and carbon footprint. Carla speaks Spanish, English, Portuguese, and German.
Cecile de Mauleon, Executive Support Manager, Rome, Italy
Cecile de Mauleon serves as Executive Support Manager at the Laudato Si’ Movement, serving as right hand to the Executive Director and supporting coordination and execution across the ED Office, the Board, the Senior Leadership Team, and key institutional partners, with a focus on Rome-based engagement. In her first experience with LSM, she contributed to key processes including strategic framework, global rebranding and transitioning from GCCM to LSM between 2020 and 2021. Her background includes management, governance, institutional relations and advisory roles across diplomacy, government, development cooperation, international organizations, and business networks. She previously served as Founding Director of the Mexican Chamber of Commerce in Italy, established with the Mexican Embassy. Cecile is a lawyer and holds Master’s degrees in European Law, Geopolitics, and Circular Economy Management. Grounded in Catholic Salesian values, she lives in Rome with her husband and two daughters, and speaks Spanish, English and Italian with basic French and Portuguese.
Cecilia Dall'Oglio, Global Movement Advisor and Italian Programs Manager
Rome, Italy Cecilia Dall’Oglio è Consulente per il Movimento Globale e Responsabile dei Programmi Italiani del Movimento Laudato Si’, con cui ha iniziato a collaborare dal 2017 come responsabile mondiale della campagna Divest. E’ laureata in scienze politiche ed ha lavorato per oltre venti anni presso la FOCSIV, membro italiano CIDSE, dove è stata responsabile di campagne sulla giustizia sociale e lotta alla povertà, in collaborazione con gli Uffici della CEI e organizzazioni cattoliche. E’ membro del Comitato Scientifico del Joint Diploma in Ecologia integrale promosso dalle Università e dai Pontifici Atenei di Roma e ne coordina i laboratori. Dal 2001 collabora con la CEI/Ufficio Nazionale per i Problemi Sociali e il Lavoro nell’ambito dell’impegno italiano ed europeo per la giustizia e la pace ed è membro del Tavolo di studio “Custodia del Creato”. E’ membro del Comitato Direttivo Ecumenico del Tempo del Creato.
Cecilia Valero, Social Media Lead and Communications Coordinator
Quito, Ecuador. She loves to live a life that is pleasing to God, as well as writing, photography, reading, design and social media. Journalist by profession, migrant, musician, and passionate about learning every day.
Charlene Pulmano, Member Leadership Program and Administrative Assistant, Tarlac, Philippines
Charlene is an accounting professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy and has worked in non-profit organizations which promote children’s rights, and a research institute dedicated to improving human condition. She took on various roles in Finance and Operations, and collaborates with program teams in preparing grant budget and reports. Laudato Si’ Movement was first introduced to her when she worked as part-time admin support for the LSM Animators Formation in 2025.
Cheryl Dugan, Director of Asia Pacific and Member Leadership Manila, Philippines
Cheryl’s journey is fueled by her passion for empowering people. She previously worked with international non-government organizations advancing the rights of children across Asia. Today, she leads the campaigns, programs and partnership building activities of LSM in Asia and Oceania as well as the leadership programs for grassroots leaders in English-speaking continents.
Christina Leaño, Associate Director, New York, United States
Christina provides spiritual and organizational leadership to LSM, including directing the movement’s eco-conversion programs. She is passionate about exploring the intersection of spirituality and social justice and supporting people’s spiritual transformation through contemplative practices and engagement in social and ecological justice. She has degrees from Yale University and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. In her free time she loves dancing with her daughter Malaya and forest bathing with her dog.
Daniel Alarcón, Web Designer and Developer
Yucatan, Mexico Daniel has 15+ years of experience in web development and design. His work has largely focused on nonprofit organizations. He also volunteered for 10 years teaching technology and mathematics to children. He enjoys nature, drawing, and programming. He currently resides in Mérida, Yucatán, México.
Daniel Castellanos Eco-Conversion Programs Manager
Mexico City, Passionate about building bridges between ethics, spirituality, and environmental action, Daniel has collaborated with human, spiritual, and social development initiatives in various parishes in Latin America. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Theology and a master’s degree in Ecological Humanities, Sustainability, and Ecosocial Transition.
Demian Matias Escudero, Programs Assistant
Demian studied International Relations at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador with a minor in International Cooperation for Development. His experience relies on the socioenvironmental impacts of investments in Ecuador. He is a compromised individual with the environment and the people.
Doménica Reyes, Communications Manager
Latacunga, Ecuador Doménica serves as Communications Project Manager. Doménica has a bachelor’s degree in Multilingual International Business and International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and a Master’s Degree on Digital Marketing . She speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian. She has worked with LSM since 2016.
Eduardo Nischespois Scorsatto, Brazil Campaigns and Projects Coordinator, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Eduardo is an architect and urban planner, Brazilian and a young member of the Youth Pastoral. He is a specialist in Collaborative Territories by the University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE), in Spirituality by the Faculty of Theology and Human Sciences (ITEPA Faculdades) and Master in Urban and Regional Planning by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Currently he contributes in the service of the National Coordination of Youth Pastoral (CNPJ) and the Regional Coordination of Youth Pastoral (CRPJ). At the university he developed research on territory, actors and political-territorial uses urban occupations and housing. In the Laudato Si’ Movement he works as Brazil Catholic Outreach Coordinator, especially in the diffusion of the documentary “”The Letter””.
Elena Attanasi, European and Italian Partnerships and Programs Coordinator
Tuscany, Italy Elena is the European and Italian Partnerships and Programs Coordinator and has been collaborating with the LSM since 2019. In 2018, for the LSM, she supported the organization of the first ecumenical prayer for creation in Assisi. She has a Bachelors’ degree and a master’s degree in the field of communication sciences. Elena is Italian and was born and grown up in Tuscany, where she still lives.
Fabián Campos, Global Advisor and Director of Hispanic America
Quito. Fabián Campos studied at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador: a Multilingual Bachelor’s Degree in Business and International Relations and a Master’s in International Business. He studied the Ignatian Latin American University Leadership Program at AUSJAL in Quito and the Ibero-American Leadership Program at the Pablo VI Foundation in Madrid. He has a Diploma in Integral Ecology from the RUC. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Human Development at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and is part of the KAICIID Fellows Program for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue. He serves as the Programms Manager of Hispanic America for the Laudato Si’ Movement and is a Founding Member of the Ibero-American Leadership Network in which he is part of the Administration and Finance Team.
Federico Destéffaniz, Hispanic America Communications Assistant.
Mar del Plata, Argentina. Hi, I’m Fede. I’m 29 years old and live in Mar del Plata, a seaside city full of community life. I’m a lawyer and currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Management and Leadership of Social Organizations at the University of San Andrés. I hold a diploma in Ecclesial Communication and study Theology at the University School of Theology in my city. I am deeply grateful to be part of the Laudato Si’ Movement, sharing the desire to care for our Common Home with hope and commitment.
Gabriela Morán, Staff Accountant Manta, Ecuador
Gabriela is a Business Administration Engineer from Universidad Espíritu Santo (Guayaquil) and holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Business Management from FLACSO Ecuador. She has nearly 15 years of experience in Operations and Finance, half of them within international humanitarian organizations. She speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese.
Ian Karlo Sánchez, Director of Finance and Operations, Quito, Ecuador
Ian Karlo has an MBA. degree in Finance from the Universidad Latinoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia (ULACIT) and a Bachelor degree in Accounting from the Univerisdad Santa María la Antigua both at Panama. He has an overall 30 years of experience in Finance, Administration, Audit (internal & external), Human Resources and Staff Security of which 20 have been performed at the international humanitarian level at various Organizations.
Igor Bastos, Director of Brazil Uberlândia, Brazil
Igor Bastos served as a National Secretary of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Youth Franciscans of Brazil and as a member of the board of SINFRAJUPE (Inter-Franciscan Service of Justice, Peace, and Ecology). Since 2009, he is supporting the homeless and landless struggles through the Franciscan Action of Ecology and Solidarity (AFES). He graduated in Civil Engineering at the Federal University of Uberlândia. He currently lives in Uberlândia, Brazil, where he works from the AFES office.
Joanna Zatylna, Energy Solidarity Project Coordinator
Łódź, Polska Psychologist, co-founder of the Polish Natural Building Association; until 2012, a long-time member of the ecumenical community of Chemin Neuf with experience of evangelization in France and Poland (responsible for the mission of young people aged 14-18 in Poland), She works at a St. Albert shelter for homeless women in Lodz. Involved in many NGO initiatives in the area of social exclusion and homelessness, as well as in the area of care for creation. Happy wife and mother of 5 wonderful children. In the Polish team of the Laudato Si’ Movement, she is co-responsible for the energy solidarity project – “Warm Home – Warm Church”.
James Buchanan, Climate Finance Campaign Manager, Oxford, UK
James joined LSM as a campaigns and advocacy specialist, having previously led Operation Noah’s Bright Now campaign for several years. The campaign succeeded in getting all major UK Churches to divest from fossil fuel companies, including the Church of England and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland. He previously worked for the Church of England as Coordinator of the Pilgrimage2Paris, in which 30 people walked from London to Paris ahead of COP21. He has also worked for CAFOD and Christian Aid. James studied International Management and German at the University of Bath. He speaks English, Italian, German and French.
Katie Mylenbusch, Senior Director of Development, Illinois, USA
Katie joined LSM in 2018. She has nearly 20 years of development and nonprofit experience including years of experience working for and volunteering with global organizations. She has her bachelor’s degree in Conflict (International) Studies, Sociology, and Anthropology from DePauw University and her Master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University. She obtains the CFRE accreditation and is active in local and international fundraising associations and, on occasion, presents and consults on various topics. Katie resides in Illinois (halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee) with her husband, son, and dog.
Laura Morales , Hispanic America Programs Coordinator
Laura is a professional ecologist from the Xaverian Pontifical University in Bogota with posgrad studies in urban environmental management. She started her climate activism in 2017 at The Climate Reality Project focusing in climate change education, then she joinned the Laudato Si Animators in 2018. She’s the founder of the first chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby in Colombia, with this initiative, she supported the process of declaring a Climate Emergency in Bogota, alongside more than 100 grassroots organizations and movements. She’s co-founder of the Colombian Platform for Children and Youth, promoting the involvement of children and youth in decision-making processes. She has worked on human rights and socio-environmental justice issues and has experience working in government institutions on public policies for environmental education and civic engagement.
Laura Morosini, Director of Europe
Paris“After a double degree in Political Science and Environnemtal Law, Laura, worked on corporate accountability for the French Parliament, then as the advisor to the Deputy Mayor of Paris, leading the first Paris climate plan. Conscious of the importance of grassroot mobilization
she founded United Christian for the Earth (Chrétiens unis pour la terre), then the oecumenical label Eglise verte for parishes, before serving LSM as a director of French programs. “
Leticia Araujo, Brazil Communications Assistant
Piauí, Brazil Letícia Araújo has a degree in Journalism from the Estácio de Teresina college, and is a studying Publicity, Advertising and Digital Marketing. Altogether, she has more than 10 years of work with creative, digital and community communication in front of religious and civil society organizations, especially in the fields of human rights, justice, ecology and the promotion of citizenship. For 08 years she served as Communications Secretary for the Franciscan Youth of Brazil at the local, regional and national levels. She is currently Communicator and Secretary of the Franciscan Family Conference in her state. Third Franciscan of YOUFRA Brazil, currently residing in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil.
Lorna Gold, Executive Director
Dr Lorna Gold leads the team at Laudato Si’ Movement. Her previous experience includes executive roles in several NGOs including FaithInvest, a UK based NGO working for ethical faith investments, and with Trócaire, the Irish Caritas and CIDSE member organisation. Her contributions to the global climate movement include leadership on fossil fuel divestment campaigns, as well as authoring ‘Climate Generation – Awakening to our Children’s Future’, her story of waking up to the climate crisis as a parent. She is a protagonist in the film featuring Pope Francis, The Letter. Prior to taking the role of Executive Director in February 2025, she served in a voluntary capacity on LSM Board of Director for 7 years.
Magdalena Kadziak Co-Director at LSM Poland
Magda is a theology student at Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University, a member of the Council for the Laity Apostolate at the Polish Episcopal Conference and runs the “Green Parishes” programme.
Mateusz Bednarkiewicz, Senior Advisor at LSM Poland - Światowy Ruch Katolików na rzecz Środowiska, Warsaw, Poland
Mateusz is an assistant professor in the theater department of the Warsaw Academy and a director cooperating with theaters in Warsaw and Poznan. His work has won prizes at the Polish Feature Film Festival and Teatroteka Fest, and was nominated for an Orły award. He is a member of the Polish and European Film Academy, president of the Parliamentary Education Foundation, and a long-standing collaborator with Polish and international non-governmental organizations. Mateusz is a graduate in philosophy of the University of Warsaw and the directing department of AT Warsaw Drama Academy.
Mateusz Piotrowski, Programme Advisor Warsaw, Poland
Mateusz has 10 years of experience in running social campaigns. He is a co-founder of the “Folkowisko” Association and the Polish Humanities Crisis Committee. He was also a co-creator of the economic education program “Labor market: manual”. He is a Doctor of Theology and Religious Studies from Nottingham University. He lives with his wife Magdalena and daughter Aniela in Warsaw.
Mayra Santos, Brazil Programs Coordinator
Piauí, Brazil Mayra Santos is a Biologist, Master in Zoology working in the area of conservation and biodiversity, and is a PhD student of Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation. Mayra worked as a professor in the area of Biology at a University (Federal Institute of Piauí – IFPI). Mayra serves as National Secretary for YOUFRA’s Northeast Area A – Youth Franciscan of Brazil, and as Regional Secretary for YOUFRA Ceará and Piauí States (Brazil). She also served as Secretary for Human Rights, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (DHJUPIC) in regional dimensions at YOUFRA Brasil and in services for the local YUFRA fraternity in her hometown. Currently, she lives in Floriano, Brazil.
Maria Chiara De Lorenzo, Communications Officer and Director's Assistant
Brussels, Maria Chiara De Lorenzo is an Italian journalist and communication manager based in Brussels. Passionate about human rights and storytelling, she has led international projects across continents (SIGNIS, Focolare Movement). She accompanies and animates young people from different countries on their journey of growth, helping them discover their purpose, set goals, and live for great ideals, with an open outlook on the world and others. Belonging to a cross-generation between digital natives and digital migrants, she naturally bridges intergenerational dialogue. She has a special love for Africa, good food, and great films.
María Cristina Chuquimarca Mosquera, Assistant Manager for Ibero-America
Quito, Ecuador Cristina is a sociologist with a specialization in development from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. She completed the Latin American Ignatian University Leadership Program offered by AUSJAL and the Leadership and Health Promotion Program. She holds a master’s degree in Social Science with a specialization in Sociology from The College of México (El Colegio de México), and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Social Science at The College of México. She also has extensive training in Collaborative Research methodologies (CLACSO). She has worked as the Academic Coordinator of the International Program for Volunteer Management and Organizational Strengthening, Voluntades+, as a researcher for nine years in the Democracy, Security, and Peace Program at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, and as the Coordinator of the School of Territorial Identity and Sociopolitical Advocacy in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Social Pastoral Caritas Ecuador. She has several publications and presentations on extractivism, human security, democracy, university participation, and volunteering. She has been a scholarship recipient from the Mexican government – CONACYT, CLACSO – CEDLA, and a fellow in the CONACYT-OAS-AMEXCID program.
Maria Trevino, North America Program Coordinator (Texas and New Mexico) Texas, USA
Maria Trevino is the Program Coordinator of North America focusing on Texas and New Mexico. She has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Tec of Monterrey. After getting involved in the social and environmental sector, she discovered that there is a great need to care for creation and she is committed to raising awareness and acting to solve environmental challenges.
Marione Bacalso, Asia-Pacific Programs Coordinator - Cebu, Philippines
Marione is interested in people development most especially that of the youth. His work in the academe and non-profit organizations focus on providing guidance and support for youth development through training and facilitation. Together with his wife and son, they are a Catholic homeschooling family living in the Philippines.
Mariusz Zatylny, Energy Solidarity Project Manager
Łódź, Poland Architect, member of the Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland, founder of the Polish Natural Building Association; Since 2019, a benedictine oblate (lay member of the monastic community); earlier, until 2012, a long-time member of the ecumenical community Chemin Neuf with experience of evangelization in France, the Czech Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Poland). Involved in the development of deep integral ecology in dialogue with the contemplative traditions of other religions and cultures of indigenous peoples. Happy husband and father of 5 wonderful children. In the Polish team of the Laudato Si’ Movement, he is responsible for the energy solidarity project – “Warm House – Warm Church”.
Marco Vargas, Graphic Designer, Quito, Ecuador
Marco has an engineering degree in Visual Design, specializing in motion design at the Polytechnic School of Chimborazo (ESPOCH) and is passionate about creating and learning.
Maureen Villanueva Lecuona, LSAP Engagement Manager, Monterrey, Mexico
Maureen is convinced that change happens when we work together in communion, therefore she has sought to collaborate in projects that cares for the people and the planet achieving together a better world for all. She has experience in projects that involves the principles of sustainability in the educational, organizational, and religious sector, addressing the areas of design, infrastructure, certifications, reporting, programs, education, and Geographic Information Systems. She has a bachelor’s degree in Architecture and a master’s degree in Organizational Development and Change.
Michael K. Guilfoyle, North America Communications Officer. Smithfield (Providence) RI
Throughout his career, Michael has served in senior leadership roles in government, with nonprofits and in higher education, with a focus on communications, marketing, public and media relations and government relations. He earned a BA in political science and a MA in strategic communications with a focus on marketing.
Mirabelle Uma, Marketing and Development Assistant Lagos, Nigeria
Mirabelle has over 8 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications, focusing on climate justice, human trafficking rehabilitation, and social impact.
She has led donor engagement, grant writing, and stewardship campaigns for climate education and agricultural resilience projects across Nigeria.
Mirabelle earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and International Relations from Abia State University and a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has worked in both Nigeria and the United States and currently lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
Mwenya Chitambala, Africa Communications Officer - South Africa
Mwenya is a bubbly, passionate, hardworking, and creative individual. I know that Strategy and Social Media and Marketing is what I like to do I am grounded in my faith, which drives me. I give 110% in everything I do.
My mantra is, “”Change the narrative of the blueprint,”” and in this way, you will create a lasting and effective impact.
Natalia Cevallos, Administrative Coordinator, Quito, Ecuador
Natalia works as an Administrative Assistant, she holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business and International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. She formerly worked with LSM in different roles such as intern, translator, and freelance interpreter. She speaks Spanish, English, and Italian.
Priscila Vintimilla, Data Manager
Quito, Ecuador(+ 20) Years of experience in Marketing and Communications field, Digital Marketing and Web Analytics Specialist. She has worked for different brand industries by developing strategies, measuring results and working with different digital multichannel platforms. ¨LSM is the place where you work with love combined with your faith and values towards a great purpose: care of our common home.¨ She has worked with LSM since 2020.
Róisín Alexander-Pye, Laudato Si' Officer - Ireland
Dublin, Ireland. Studied theology and philosophy in Dublin, and Edinburgh (Master’s). Worked for Jesuits Ireland in communications, and NGO Barnardo’s UK. Married to Australian Anthony, and we have 4 children. Active in parish setting with liturgy, music, Season of Creation and spirituality, and interested in Laudato Si’ since it was published.
Shonchita Sultana, Development Assistant, Tempe, Arizona, USA
Shonchita is a PMP‑certified project and grants operations professional with 11+ years of experience across UNICEF, INGOs, and mission‑driven organizations. She specializes in M&E, data systems, and donor‑funded program coordination across Bangladesh, Liberia, and the U.S. She holds advanced degrees in Governance Studies and Business Management and is based in Arizona.
Steeven Kezamutima, Africa Programs Coordinator
He is a Lay Franciscan , a Laudato Si animator and member of Laudato Si Generation coordinating team. He has developed a strong network around Africa.He has worked as a Regional Program Manager at the JPIC- Franciscans in Africa.Artist-musician and climate activist, he has developed expertise in environmental governance, biodiversity, peace and human rights.
Steven Salido Fisher, LSAP Communications Manager
Mexico City Steven, with roots in Chicago and Mexico City, holds a University of Notre Dame BA in political science and peacebuilding, which led to studies in Kolkata, Sarajevo, and Jerusalem. From working in migrant shelters to disaster relief work in Alaska, his professional training is rooted in hospital chaplaincy with a multifaith theological degree at Harvard. Throughout his career, Steven has done free-lance writing and communications consulting for non-profit clients via The Soze Agency.
Susana Salguero, Director of Global Communications
Panama City, Panama. Susana has 10+ years of experience in communications, public relations, and strategic partnerships for nonprofit organizations. She excels in crisis communication, brand positioning, and volunteer management. Focused on education and social impact, she has led initiatives connecting global organizations like Special Olympics, World Scouting, and YMCA with meaningful projects, driving collaboration and growth
Veronica Coraddu, Laudato Si' Animators and Circles Coordinator Italy
Ladispoli, Rome, Italy Veronica joined LSM team in November 2023, and has been an LS Animator since May 2022. Sardinian, Roman by adoption, citizen of the world, she has lived and worked in Tanzania, South Sudan and Palestine, where she opened a LS Circle in Bethlehem. She is active in the LS Sacred Heart Circle in Ladispoli and in the Missionary Center of her diocese. Married to Fabio, she is mother to Mattia and Letizia.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Philippines
Philippines
Cardinal John Ribat, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Cardinal Pedro Barreto, Peru
Peru
Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
FAQ
- What is LSM?
- What is the mission of LSM?
- How is LSM formed?
- What are the strategic objectives of LSM?
- What projects is LSM working on?
- What is the legal entity of LSM?
- How is LSM funded?
- What is LSM's relationship with the Catholic Church and the Holy See?
We are a Catholic Movement, guided by the Holy Spirit, committed to protecting our common home, God’s creation, from the climate emergency and ecological crisis.
To inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice.
The Movement is made up of more than 8,000 Laudato Si’ Animators and nearly 900 Member Organizations, present in 115 countries on five continents, and organized into 30 chapters, who work every day to bring Laudato Si’ to life.
- Ecological conversion: To encourage a change of heart (conversion) of Catholics and motivate a passionate concern for our common home, making care for creation a priority.
- Total sustainability: To help the Church and its faithful to lead by example, embodying the motto “less is more” and reducing its carbon footprint to zero, in line with the urgency of the climate emergency and ecological crisis.
- Advocacy: To mobilize the Church to raise its prophetic voice for climate and ecological justice, calling for bold policies to meet the Paris Agreement target of no more than 1.5°C and to stop the biodiversity collapse.
According to the strategic objectives, LSM is working on several programs:
- Programs for ecological conversion:
- Laudato Si’ Circles. A global community of small groups that meet regularly to deepen their relationship with God as Creator and with all members of creation.
- Laudato Si’ Contemplation Training. A 5-week training, to be introduced to meditation and contemplative practices as a way of prayer.
- Season of Creation. An annual event from September 1 to October 4 to deepen our ecological conversion.
- Sustainability programs:
-
- Laudato Si’ Action Platform: a project of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development and facilitated by LSM, for institutions, communities and families to learn and grow together as we journey toward full sustainability in the holistic spirit of integral ecology.
- Advocacy programs:
-
- Biodiversity and Climate Crisis.
- Zero Fossil Fuels
- Divestment
- Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
- Carbon Bombs
- Regional advocacy campaigns
Laudato Si’ Movement is registered as a legal entity under U.S. law as a non-profit public charity (501c3).
We are a Movement formed mainly by Catholic faithful, lay people, religious and priests, and Organizations that collaborate with the Mission of the Church.
We are guided by the Social Doctrine of the Church, its Magisterium and the Holy Scriptures.
And, in order to fulfill our mission, we collaborate closely with the different bodies of the Church (dioceses, episcopal conferences, Vatican dicasteries, etc.) in fidelity to the Holy Father and always in a spirit of synodality and listening.
FAQ
What is LSM?
What is the mission of LSM?
How is LSM formed?
What are the strategic objectives of LSM?
- Ecological conversion: To encourage a change of heart (conversion) of Catholics and motivate a passionate concern for our common home, making care for creation a priority.
- Total sustainability: To help the Church and its faithful to lead by example, embodying the motto “less is more” and reducing its carbon footprint to zero, in line with the urgency of the climate emergency and ecological crisis.
- Advocacy: To mobilize the Church to raise its prophetic voice for climate and ecological justice, calling for bold policies to meet the Paris Agreement target of no more than 1.5°C and to stop the biodiversity collapse.
What projects is LSM working on?
According to the strategic objectives, LSM is working on several programs:
- Programs for ecological conversion:
-
- Laudato Si’ Circles. A global community of small groups that meet regularly to deepen their relationship with God as Creator and with all members of creation.
- Laudato Si’ Contemplation Training. A 5-week training, to be introduced to meditation and contemplative practices as a way of prayer.
- Season of Creation. An annual event from September 1 to October 4 to deepen our ecological conversion.
- Sustainability programs:
-
- Laudato Si’ Action Platform: a project of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development and facilitated by LSM, for institutions, communities and families to learn and grow together as we journey toward full sustainability in the holistic spirit of integral ecology.
- Advocacy programs:
-
- Biodiversity and Climate Crisis.
- Zero Fossil Fuels
- Divestment
- Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
- Carbon Bombs
- Regional advocacy campaigns
What projects is LSM working on?
Laudato Si’ Movement is registered as a legal entity under U.S. law as a non-profit public charity (501c3).
How is LSM funded?
LSM is funded by private donors, institutions and individuals who identify with our mission and freely contribute their resources to make our work possible.
LSM does not receive any financial support from the Vatican.
What is LSM's relationship with the Catholic Church and the Holy See?
We are a Movement formed mainly by Catholic faithful, lay people, religious and priests, and Organizations that collaborate with the Mission of the Church.
We are guided by the Social Doctrine of the Church, its Magisterium and the Holy Scriptures.
And, in order to fulfill our mission, we collaborate closely with the different bodies of the Church (dioceses, episcopal conferences, Vatican dicasteries, etc.) in fidelity to the Holy Father and always in a spirit of synodality and listening.
Work With Us
To inspire and mobilize the Catholic community to care for our common home and achieve climate and ecological justice.