“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
Laudato Si Movement 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. Chapters bring together both types of members.
Our Values
Grounded in faith
Our Catholic faith motivates us to act. Laudato Si’ inspires our mission. As followers of Jesus, our decisions are guided by 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 faith tradition and our Christian lives.
Committed to spiritual transformation
Caring for one another
Being prophetic
Taking an integral approach
Cultivating unity within diversity
Being in the Church and in the world
Building bridges
Embracing contemplation and action
Living in hope
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
Dr Lorna Gold
Dr. Lorna Gold is director of movement building for FaithInvest.
Yeb Saño
Yeb Saño is Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
Amanda Hanley
Amanda Hanley is Co-Founding Director of the Hanley Foundation, member of the Natural Resources Defense Council Global Leadership Council, advocate and signatory of Divest-Invest Philanthropy, founding steering committee member of North Shore Green Women and a WIGhead organizer of Chicago Women In Green. She has served on the advisory board of Loyola University Chicago Institute for Environmental Sustainability and the advisory circle of the Archdiocese of Chicago Encyclical Working Group.
John O’Shaughnessy
John O’Shaughnessy is Chief Financial Officer & CIO of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary.
Marianne Comfort
Marianne Comfort is justice coordinator for Earth, anti-racism and women for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas.
Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ
Fr. Xavier Jeyaraj, SJ is the Secretary of the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat (SJES) of the Society of Jesus in Rome.
Analisa Ramsahai
Analisa Ramsahai is Regional Programme Coordinator for the Franciscan Institute for Personal and Family Development, a ministry of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother (SSM).
Michel Roy
Michel Roy served as the Secretary-General of Caritas Internationalis (CI) from 2011 to 2019 and has more than 40 years of service as Director and Advisor to the Catholic Church in its involvement with the poor in France and worldwide (Secours Catholique / Caritas France, Mission Langues and the International Forum of Catholic NGOs, RAOEN), developing grassroots networks and advocating for the protection of human dignity.
Fr Augusto Zampini Davies
Rev. Augusto Zampini-Davies is Adjunct Secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Co-Lead of the Vatican Covid-19 Commission.
Board of Directors
LSM’s Board of Directors provides direction to the Secretariat, together with the Steering Committee, to ensure mission and vision fulfillment. The Board supports the Secretariat to advance key strategic projects through high-level Church networking as well as provides financial oversight for LSM.
Global Membership Council
LSM’s Global Membership Council supports the Secretariat in developing the Strategic Framework to ensure fidelity to the mission and strategy implementation as it relates to programmatic matters.
Advisory Council
Members of the Advisory Council serve as a public witness of the Church’s commitment to creation care. Members have the opportunity to shape how the global Church can best address the current ecological crisis.
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 Belén Ortega Mora
Spanish Language Chapters and Circles Coordinator
Quito, Ecuador
Environmental Engineer (UISEK) and Specialist in Leadership, Climate Change and Cities (FLACSO Ecuador). She belongs to regional networks: ActionLac, Clima Líderes and Movimiento de Jóvenes Latinoamericanos y Caribeños frente al Cambio Climático ¡CLIC! Ten years of experience in activism and climate action from youth, with participation in UN climate negotiations. LS animator since 2017 and co-founder of the LSM Ecuador Chapter. Personal motto: "War with plastic and peace with trees.
Anna Johnson
North America Senior Programs Manager
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 Caschetto
Programs Coordinator for Italy
Assisi, Italy
Antonio coordinates programs for Italy through training Laudato Si' animators and coordinating Laudato Si' Circles. He is also a member of the international eco-spirituality team and in Assisi he guides pilgrims on retreats to Franciscan shrines. He is an architect and has designed and constructed low-energy buildings. He has worked as a spiritual guide at the Shrine of Renunciation, collaborating on the first ecumenical prayer for creation, as well as organizing a series of creation events with the diocese and Franciscan families. He is the author of the book "Vivi Laudato Si'" (link: https://www.frateindovino.eu/prodotti-on-line/ebook/vivi-laudato-si), from the Italian Franciscan Editions. Married to his beautiful wife, Angelica, he has two beautiful sons, Francesco and Emanuele, and a cute dog named Jumpy.
Antonio A. Garrido Salcedo
Interim Assistant Manager for Hispanoamerican Programs
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.
Adrianna Fiore
Social Media Coordinator
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Studied Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Dual Masters in Digital Marketing and Branding. She launched her professional career as an event planner in Madrid. Then she worked as the Community Manager at Rome Reports TV News Agency, while also heading the Stand Together project to give voice to persecuted Christians. Adrianna speaks Spanish, English and Italian.
Ashley Kitisya
Fossil Free Campaigner, 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.
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'
Alonso de Llanes
Special Projects, Program Manager
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.
Ana Paula Peña
Movement Building Project Manager
Quito, Ecuador
Ana Paula serves as the Movement Building Project Manager. She has a Multilingual Bachelor’s degree in International Business and International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. Ana Paula believes in working alongside communities and individuals in order to make a change. She has a passion for the scenic arts, a field she believes has a social commitment and can work as a tool for change.
Belén Girón
Data Analyst
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Belén works as data analyst. She is from Guatemala and currently living there. She's finishing a degree in International marketing and business analytics at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG). She speaks Spanish and English.
Benedict Ayodi
Programs Coordinator
Nairobi, Kenya
A 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
Special Projects Program Assisstant
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.
Caroline Wambui
Biodiversity and Climate Change Manager
Nairobi, Kenya
Caroline Wambui is a global change-maker, climate justice activist. She has a Communication for Development degree and serves the Laudato Si Movement as the Biodiversity and Climate Change manager. If she is not changing the world through advocacy and act vocacy, you will find her checking out vintage cars and passionately singing.
Cecilia Dall'Oglio
Associate Director of European Programs
Rome, Italy
Cecilia Dall'Oglio is the Associate Director of European Programs of the Laudato Si' Movement, with which she started to collaborate in 2017 as world manager of the Divest campaign. She has a degree in political science and worked for over twenty years at FOCSIV, an Italian member of CIDSE, where she was responsible for campaigns on social justice and fight against poverty, in collaboration with the offices of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and Catholic organizations. She is a member of the Scientific Committee of the Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology promoted by the Pontifical Universities in Rome and coordinates its laboratories. Since 2001 she has been collaborating with the National Office for Social Problems and the Work of the Italian Bishops’ Conference in the context of the Italian and European commitment to justice and peace and is a member of the group of experts on care of Creation. He is a member of the Ecumenical Steering Committee of the Season of Creation.
Cheryl Dugan
Program Manager-Asia Pacific and English Speaking Animators
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 Development and Design
Yucatan, Mexico
Daniel has 10+ 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.
Diego López Sánchez
Laudato Si Animators Coordinator for Spanish Language
Maracaibo, VenezuelaDiego López Sánchez is a Human Talent Manager. He lives in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Diego is certified as a Pastoral Agent by MSC Venezuela, and completed a Diploma in Leadership at IESA Centro Zulia and a Diploma in Laudato Si' with the University of Morón (Argentina), He is the founder of Laudato Si' Movement's Venezuela Chapter and is passionate about working with young people. He has worked with different pastoral and youth movements in his country. For 6 years he was a leader and parish coordinator, zonal, regional, and also national advisor of the Kairoi Movement. He met the Laudato Si' Movement in the WYD Panama 2019. Since then, with great conviction, he has shared the message of Pope Francis in Laudato Si', ''All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation'' (LS, 14).
Doménica Reyes
Communications Project 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 Agosta Scarel
Senior Advisor
Spain, Latin America
Eduardo is a friar of the Carmelite Province of Aragon, Castile and Valencia, Spain. He lives in Onda, diocese of Segorbe-Castellón, where he collaborates with educational, social and pastoral activities. He is a Doctor of the University of Buenos Aires in Atmoshperic and Oceanic Sciences; a volunteer member of the coordinating team of the Carmelite NGO, of the International Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Carmelite Order; he collaborates with the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development and the Argentinean Episcopal Conference, has advised on environmental issues to the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM) for several years. Eduardo has extensive experience in climate variability and climate change; he is the author of numerous scientific articles in the field of climate science and in the area of integral ecology; he is a university professor and researcher.
Eduardo Nischespois Scorsatto
Brazilian Outreach 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
Programs Coordinator for Europe
Tuscany, Italy
Elena is Programs Coordinator for Europe 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.
Erin Lothes
Senior Manager, Laudato Si Animators Program
New York
Erin is an ecological theologian who holds a BA. in English from Princeton University, an MA in Theology from Boston College, and a Ph.D. in Theology from Fordham University. She is on the faculty of St. Elizabeth University and served as an Earth Institute Fellow at Columbia University. Erin is the author of two books, Inspiring Sustainability: Planting Seeds for Action and The Paradox of Christian Sacrifice: The Loss of Self, the Gift of Self, as well as articles on energy ethics and faith-based environmentalism. A long time activist within the Catholic and interfaith environmental and divestment movement, she lives in New York with her husband and two sons.
Fabián Campos
Co-Director of Movement Development
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.
Igor Bastos
Senior Manager for Iberoamerica
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.
Gabriel López Santamaría
Communications Manager
Madrid, Spain
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he has lived in Spain for more than 20 years. He has studied Theology, Philosophy and Sociology. He is founder of Católicos en Red (communication agency) and has collaborated with the Laudato Si Movement since its beginnings in 2015. A specialist in marketing and religious communication, Gabriel is a family man ( with two children) and a lover of the charism of St. Francis of Assisi.
Gabriela Consolaro Nabozny
Brazilian Outreach Coordinator
Florianópolis, Brazil
Gabriela is a Secular Franciscan that believes the world can be a better place for Creation and future generations if we all work for ecological justice. She is a Lawyer, holds a master’s degree in Ecological Law and Human Rights, a specialization in Criminal Law, and studies environmental conflicts involving Brazilian popular movements at the Transdisciplinary Legal Research Group for a Sustainable Society (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil). She combines her legal background with a socially committed spirituality to serve the YOUFRA (Franciscan Youth) of Brazil as the National coordinator of Formation, and the Brazilian Articulation for the Economy of Francis and Claire (a movement created after the Pope’s called to the “Economy of Francesco”) as a member of the national coordination team.
Guadalupe García Corigliano
Content Creator
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Guadalupe has a degree in Journalism (USAL), with postgraduate studies in Digital Journalism (UPF) and Church Communication (UCCuyo). She is a writer and content creator for LSM. Committed to the causes of social action and the Catholic Church.
Jane Mellett
Project Co-Ordinator Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
Jane has worked in pastoral ministry for many years and is now the Laudato Si' Officer with Trócaire (Caritas) in Ireland as well as project coordinator for LSM in Ireland. Jane is a climate pilgrim, having walked over 1,000 km to COP24 in 2018 to bring the message of Laudato Si' to the UN Climate Conference. She is an author and activist who is deeply passionate about climate justice and ecological spirituality. Jane supports parish communities in Ireland to bring the calls of Laudato Si' to life.
John Ojeda
People Operations Assistant
Madrid, Spain
John has a multilingual degree in Business and International Relations from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and a Master's degree in Diplomacy and International Relations from the Diplomatic School of Spain. John has several years of experience in the non-governmental sector where he has been able to work in organizations related to migration, child population, and the environment. In addition, John has published several articles in International Relations scientific journals and he also speaks several languages such as English, French, Portuguese and Italian.
Joseph D'halluin
Divestment campaigner
London
Joseph is an experienced campaigner from France, where he worked for different non-profit and public organizations, dealing with a wide range of topics like sustainable agriculture, cycling, air transportation or care policies. He holds a Master's degree in political sciences and green political theory. He has a strong interest in empowering communities in advocacy issues and inventing new tools to tackle the climate crisis. He now lives in London.
Karla Corsino Zavaleta
Special Projects Assistant
Oaxaca, Mexico
Karla has a B.S. in Engineering in Biotechnology from the Universidad Veracruzana with a specialization in Environmental Ecology. She has experience in initiatives and organizations that promote and implement sustainability, integral ecology, social responsibility and ecological spirituality projects, through participation in community projects from the laboratory area to project management. She speaks Spanish and English.
Katie Roth Mylenbusch, CFRE, MNA
Development Director
Illinois, USA
Katie joined LSM in 2018. She draws on 15+ years of fundraising experience in higher education, social services, and health related organizations. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and her Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University, and studied environmental issues in Botswana while in undergraduate school. She has also obtained the CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) accreditation. Katie resides outside of Chicago with her husband and son.
Laura Morosini
Director of programs 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. "
Lauren Dixon
Development Coordinator
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Lauren is a development professional with a commitment to generating systemic ecological change for conservation and sustainability efforts. She has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation and is currently working to finish her Master of Science in Business Analytics. Her expertise lies in a broad range of topics, including climate change, green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy. Lauren's commitment to the mission and values of the Laudato Si' Movement align with her drive to make a difference in the world.
Leticia Araujo
Program Assistant | Portuguese Speak Countries
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.
Lindlyn Moma
Director of Advocacy
South Africa
Lindlyn Moma combines her human rights law background with her passion for tackling the climate crisis and promoting ecological justice. In joining the Laudato Si Movement, she combines her spirituality with her vocation. Lindlyn has over 20 years of strategic leadership within the environmental justice sector, most recently serving as Africa Program Director of Greenpeace Africa and WildAid. She is a trained developmental industry executive leader from the Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Leadership Program and the Robert Gass Transformational Leadership Program. Lindlyn Moma is a member of the Board of Advisors at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) based in Sweden and is keen on advancing democracy amidst the climate crisis. Her voluntary work also extends to serving as a Council of Seven members at Good for Trust South Africa.
Lucia Sorrentino
Member Organizations Coordinator
Naples, Italy
Lucia is the LSM Member Organizations Coordinator and is based in Naples, Southern Italy. She holds a PhD in History and International Relations of Africa and spent more than 15 years in the African Continent serving as humanitarian and development worker. She believes that social justice and environmental justice are closely connected and issues that impact the environment cause significant impact especially on the poor. She is proud of being part of a global movement that raises awareness and lead in action worldwide. The more the better! She loves swimming and is very concerned about the defence of biodiversity.
Luke Henkel
Programs coordinator, North America
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Master's Graduate, Climate Justice from Glasgow Caledonian University (Scotland, 2022). I have a background in teaching languages and am a former Divine Word (Verbitas) missionary Brother. I was one of the co-founders of Laudato Si Generation and have been active with the youth and young adult networks in Seattle, Washington and internationally. My Master's thesis focused on Indigenous spirituality and identity in response to climate change in the Philippines, and this is one of my greatest interests. In my spare time find me biking, hiking, learning languages, doing yoga, running, or exploring a new place!
Magdalena Noszczyk
Europe In-Country Programs Coordinator
Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
With the roots in scouting, global citizenship education, and life science studies (Biology, Agrobiology) behind her, Magdalena has over 13 years of experience in building groups, leading workshops and trainings, strategic planning and managing projects - from environmental education, climate activism, community management and community organising to development projects in such countries as Kenya, Tanzania, Swaziland, Ivory Coast. Learning from the biggest and oldest (WWF, WOSM) as well as from the most disruptive organizations (Brainly, Buy Responsibly Foundation, Action Aid) Magda is a mix of different talents with an open mind and critical thinking approach. She is the author of many publications about sustainable development topics and she was also recognized with the award of the National Education Commission in Poland. She is a member of the charismatic community of the Renewal in the Holy Spirit. She is based in the Silesia region of Poland.
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.
Matthew Saganski
Special Projects Writer
Rockford, MI
Matthew has a bachelor’s degree in English Studies with a teaching concentration in Psychology from Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University. Prior to joining LSM, he was a manuscript editor for thirteen years, helping to launch the most profitable vertical in the HarperCollins portfolio, HarperCollins Leadership.
Mayra Santos
Program Coordinator | Portuguese Speak Countries
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 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.
Marcos Campos
Brazilian Administrative Assistant
Rio Verde, Brazil
Marcos is 31 years old. He is from Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil and currently lives in Rio Verde. He holds a degree and a master's degree in Social Sciences from the Federal University of Uberlândia. Currently he is also a teacher of basic education. He began his social activism in the student movement and it was from there that he joined the Pastoral Land Commission (CPT), where he began to work with social movements fighting for land and urban struggle. It was during this process that he also became involved with the Franciscan Action for Ecology and Solidarity (AFES) and from there came the opportunity to be part of the Laudato Si Movement, acting as an administrative assistant.
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
Special Projects 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.
Mpumi Mbenenge
Advocacy Program Assistant
Johannesburg, South Africa
Mpumi is an intersectional environmentalist’ whose passion for environmental justice is inextricably linked with social justice. She is interested in how creative climate solutions can be used as a tool to address other social and urban issues such as the removal of indigenous peoples and marginalized communities from green spaces for corporate development, or the pollution of water bodies in developing countries from toxic chemicals used in fashion production and manufacturing. She is extremely passionate about facilitating and influencing the transition towards a just energy transition.
Natalia Cevallos
Administrative Assistant
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.
Paola Zabala
Content Curator
Quito, Ecuador
Paola works as a Content Curator. She's from Venezuela and lives in Ecuador. She has a degree in Journalism from the University of the Americas (UDLA) in Ecuador. She speaks Spanish and English (intermediate).
Piotr Abramczyk
Director at LSM Poland - Światowy Ruch Katolików na rzecz Środowiska
Warsaw, Poland
Graduated from the University of Reading, Piotr is a professional meteorologist with a special interest in climate change. Bringing together the scientific knowledge with a passion for integral ecology as taught by the Catholic Church, he works towards greater involvement of faith communities in the care for our common home.
Priscila Vintimilla
Assistant Director of Communications and 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.
Prince Papa
Programms Manager-Africa
Nairobi, Kenya
Artivist, justice campaigner and co-founder of 350 Kenya Power Shift, (a non-violent justice youth movement in Kenya). He has over 15 years experience in movements building, coalitions management and campaigning both offline and online. He previously worked with 350.org as Sub Saharan Field organizer, working directly with frontline communities fighting the fossil fuels industry. He is also a commissioner with the Catholic Justice and Peace Commision-Kenya. He currently serves as the Board Chairperson for deCOALonize Kenya coalition.
Raquel Ortuno
Communications Manager, Special Projects
Quito, Ecuador
Raquel brings over 12 years of experience in Marketing and Communications to the movement. She holds a Master degree in International Communications and has successfully implemented local and global strategies. She believes protecting our common home is of paramount importance.
Rebecca Elliott
Senior Director of Strategy, Planning, and Special Projects
Virginia, United States of America
Rebecca is grateful to work with a phenomenal team of colleagues and partners, collaborating to deliver strategic initiatives that make a measureable difference for our common home by galvanizing action among the world's 1.2 billion Catholics and their allies. She speaks English and Spanish.
Regina Luján
Community Manager
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Regina is part of the LSM communications team. She studied Tourism Business Administration, has a certificate in Fundamentals of Climate Change Management, is a Climate Reality Climate Leader and a Laudato Si Animator. She was responsible for Networks and Communications of the Honduras chapter for two years. Regina is passionate about Sustainable Tourism and the care of the Common Home.
Rinah Randrianarivelo
Campaigns Coordinator, France
Antony, France
Rinah is a meteorologist graduated from the Polytechnic of Antananarivo University in Madagascar, has a master in environmental impacts studies from the University of Bordeaux,France and a Master of specialization on Disaster and Risk Management, of the University of Liege, Belgium. Rinah will get her PhD very soon (2022). Her research focuses on the energy system, renewable energies, climate projections. She is also in the process of completing a specialization in university and higher education pedagogy at the University of Liège. She has experience as a teacher at the Department of Meteorology of the Polytechnic of Antananarivo University, and as head of the Communication Department of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Madagascar.She is founder of the MAHATSANGY association, a non profit environmental organization which has the mission to « construct bridge between the climate science and the society ». Mahatsangy helps technically the National Catholic federation of Youth in Madagascar to implement LSM Chapter and to bring Laudato si to life.
Sally Baker
Director of Finance
Rock Hill, SC, USA
Sally has spent her career working for non-profit organizations, including community health, higher education, and arts and culture. She worked in fundraising for 15 years before finding her calling as an accountant and became licensed as a CPA in South Carolina in 2016. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Wake Forest University and MBA from Winthrop University. Sally lives in South Carolina, USA with her husband, three children and one very spoiled dog.
Sandra Estrada
Social Media Coordinator
Mexico City
Social Media Coordinator Sandra Estrada is a Communicologist with a degree in Scientific Dissemination, Visual Communication and Spirituality. She studied Laudato Si' with SIGNIS in the Amazon (Ecuador) and at the Javeriana University (India); co-created and translated the e-book "Unfold Nest: a journey towards new forms of life". He writes and lectures on spirituality, interreligious and intercultural dialogue and mental health. Content Creator and member of: SIGNIS, Ignatian Youth Network (Jesuits), Virtues in Movement Network and Catholic Link.
Steeven Kezamutima
Programs Coordinator, Francophone Africa
Nairobi
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.
Suzana Moreira
Eco-Conversion Programs Manager
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Suzi is a Laudato Si' Animator, a socioenvironmental activist, a zero-waste ambassador, and a music and stilts enthusiast. She also holds a Master's degree in Systematic Pastoral Theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and worked for 10 years as a freelance translator and interpreter in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Sr. Cláudia Chesini
Religious Outreach Coordinator
Brasilia, Brazil
Sr. Cláudia Chesini, religious of the Associação Congregação Santa Catarina, has a degree in Pedagogy from União das Faculdades de Criciúma and a master's degree in Production Engineering from Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. She has experience in Production Engineering, working mainly on the following themes: education, global compact on education, pastoral, sustainability, integral ecology, public policies and evaluation of the education system. She brings to LSM years of experience in the educational sector leading high performance team and team building and joins as the Religious Outreach Coordinator in the Special Projects Team.
Sr. Nathalie Kangaji
Religious Outreach Coordinator
Democratic Republic of Congo
With a degree in Public Law, she has worked for nearly 20 years in the defense of the underprivileged and has practiced her profession as a defender of human rights and local mining communities. She has been a religion teacher and a women's rights activist. As part of her professional activity she has also served as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace as well as in charge of the women's dynamic for peace for the same institution. Sister Nathalie speaks French and Swahili.
Tere Flores Onofre
Co-Director of Movement Development
Sacramento, California, United StatesTere joined the LSM team in April 2022 and brings over 17 years of experience as a faith-based community organizer with the Faith in Action Network. She is a native of Puebla, Mexico and an immigrant in California and is fluent in English and Spanish. Tere has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Economies of Industrialized Societies from the University of California, Berkeley. She is married and has a 12-year old son named Diego who inspires her to work for a better world and a healthy future.
Tomás Insua
Executive Director
Rome, Italy
Tomás is co-founder and executive director of the Laudato Si’ Movement. He was previously a Fulbright Scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School, served in the UN Climate Secretariat, worked for Google, and served with Catholic organizations in the slums of Buenos Aires. He completed master’s degrees in public administration at Harvard University and in public policy at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. Growing up in Buenos Aires, a Franciscan youth center was his spiritual home.
Secretariat
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).
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.
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.