”The cry of the earth is intimately connected to the cry of the poor.’’ Pope Francis.

Ever increasing numbers of people displaced worldwide due to poverty, strife, war, harsh economic downturns and the impacts of climate change, render the most vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation, as well as facing situations critical to life and death. Such concerns informed the conference participants attending a Conference at the Vatican City, organised by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, led by Cardinal Peter Turkson to celebrate the third anniversary of the publication of Laudato Si.’

The international conference was designed ‘’to follow the ‘see-judge-act’ trajectory of the encyclical’’ and to ‘’engage persons and groups who can develop the Laudato Si’ message.’’

Conference participants acknowledged the sense of urgency and the need for renewed efforts to engage in further exploration, understanding, reflection and action to address ‘the possible collapse of the planet.’ Cardinal Parolin emphasised that ‘’To take care of our common home, to save our common home, is one of the most urgent issues of our time,’’ Cardinal Parolin, at the Laudato Si’ Conference, 2018.

In this regard, Denise Boyle, fmdm, Team Leader Mercy Global Action and Adele Howard, rsc, shared the work of the Mercy International Association in promoting reflection and action on the themes of Laudato Si.’ Specifically by means of the Mercy International Reflection Process (MIRP), as recorded in the MIRP Handbook, which calls upon all in the Mercy networks worldwide, to ecological conversion and to work for ‘’…the radical change which present circumstances require’’ (Laudato Si.,’ 171).

For further information on the Mercy International Reflection Process, please contact Denise Boyle, fmdm, at the Mercy International Centre, 64 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin.

Full report at: https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/35333

Pope Francis address to the conference delegates is available at: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2018/july/documents/papa-francesco_20180706_terzoanniversario-laudatosi.html

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