This week marks the sixth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’. ”

In that encyclical, Pope Francis addresses the challenges of consumerism and irresponsible human development, and their effects on the environment.  He calls people of every nation and faith to take “swift and unified global action.”

To again highlight the pope’s message, the church has designated the week of May 16 through May 25 as “Laudato Si Week.” The time frame coincides with the date, May 24, 2015, when Francis signed the first-ever papal document centered on the environment.

The theme of “Laudato Si’ Week” is drawn from the encyclical’s introduction: “For we know that things can change.”

According to an article published on the website of the National Catholic Reporter (ncr.org) on May 14, 2021, the week’s events “will celebrate the church’s progress so far in acting on the landmark encyclical, with the goal of launching a massive multiplication of Catholic engagement around conservation, sustainability and changing the current trajectory of global warming.”