As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ and prepare for the jubilee year, communities of faith determined to care for our common home are emerging around the world. In Italy, some parishes have become true beacons of ecological hope: places where faith is translated into action, and sustainability is lived out day by day.
Inspired by the encyclical Laudato Si’ and Pope Francis’ call for ecological conversion, these Italian communities have begun to implement new practices: from installing solar panels to eliminating plastic from their activities.
Check out these communities as examples
In the city of Carpi, for example, the parish of San Bernardino Realino led an initiative to rethink its lifestyle in light of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. Through workshops, campaigns, and structural decisions, they built a community path toward integral ecology. Their plan includes energy efficiency, sustainable gardens, ecological training, and a strong commitment to the circular economy.
In Ladispoli, a coastal town northwest of Rome, the Sacred Heart parish transformed a piece of unused land into a garden dedicated to integral ecology. What began as an abandoned space became a place where the land is cultivated with respect, and people with hope.
This garden is a space for ecological education, community prayer, and intergenerational encounters. There, care for creation is lived out in concrete ways: from composting to planting, everything is guided by the spirit of Laudato Si’. It is a living testimony that ecological conversion also renews human and spiritual bonds.
These communities leave us with a clear and profound lesson for those who wish to embark on a similar path: “Coordinate with others. The rest is beyond our control; trust in God,” they advise from the parish of Carpi. They also insist on one essential element: accompanying each step with prayer, asking for light and perseverance so that the project may grow with firm roots and abundant fruit.
Steps to make your parish more sustainable
Each community has its own path, and you don’t need a lot of resources to get started. With small steps, faith, and collective commitment, it is possible to care for creation. Here are some simple ideas that may inspire your parish.
- Promote sustainable habits in everyday life: Encourage families to bring their own utensils to parish events, reuse materials, and creatively reduce the consumption of disposable plastics.
- Save energy with simple decisions: Make the most of natural light, turn off electrical equipment that is not in use, and organize campaigns to raise awareness about responsible water and energy consumption.
- Create green spaces and community gardens: In yards, vacant lots, or even recycled pots, you can create growing spaces that feed, heal, and bring the community together.
- Encourage recycling and the circular economy: Promote recycling, bartering, or repair campaigns. Teaching people how to repair or transform objects strengthens the family economy and protects the environment.
- Offer formation through catechesis and daily life: Integrate the message of Laudato Si’ into catechesis, homilies, or informal gatherings. A talk after Mass or an activity with young people can open hearts.
Many other communities in other parts of the world are also following these steps, sowing hope. Because they know “that things can change” (LS 13), they have heard the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, and they have decided to act.
What could your parish do with what it already has?
Tell us in the comments what practices you have started or what you dream of implementing. Your testimony can enlighten other communities.