The Diocese of Phoenix is one of 19 dioceses taking part in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop’s inaugural Laudato Si’ Leadership Cohort. Inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’ (Praise be to you) on caring for creation, the national cohort provides tools, expertise and accompaniment to help diocesan leaders create achievable action plans to implement the teachings of the late pope with the hope of transforming communities.
The Diocese of Phoenix’s action plan, which is set to be implemented in 2027, was released today (Oct. 4), the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi who is the patron saint of ecology, the study of the relationship between living things and their environment. The release date also holds significance as it falls in the Jubilee Year of St. Francis, which Pope Leo XIV declared in honor of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death.
The action plan focuses on seven goals: response to the cry of the earth, ecological economics, adoption of sustainable lifestyles, ecological education, ecological spirituality, community resilience and empowerment and response to the cry of the poor. In the document’s opening “Statement On Care for Creation,” Bishop John Dolan encourages, “every parish, school, ministry, family and individual through the Diocese of Phoenix to embrace this Laudato Si’ action plan with generosity and confidence” as the plan is connected to the greater vision of the diocese.
“The plan is also inspired by the theme ‘Animated by Christ,’ the topic of TILMA year three,” said Abigail Poole, coordinator of Catholic Social Teaching for the diocese, and the Diocese of Phoenix representative in the national cohort. She was referring to Bishop John Dolan’s seven-year pastoral plan on evangelization. “We are excited to provide opportunities for the diocese and parishioners to be animated in their call to stewardship for all creation.”
The Diocese of Phoenix’s action plan is published on the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which is sponsored by the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and the Diocese of Phoenix website. The Laudato Si’ Leadership Cohort joins more than 5,000 institutions across 150 countries on the platform.
“We are grateful to Bishop Dolan,” continued Poole. “He is making a commitment to intentionally be part of an environmental impact in the nearly 44,000 square miles entrusted to his care.”
