Enrolling in the LSAP
The LSAP officially launched its enrolment phase on 14 November 2021 (World Day of the Poor).
This means that between 14 November 2021 and 22 April 2022 (Earth day), local communities can enrol in the LSAP, thereby ‘signing up’ to the LSAP goals and pledging to create their own Laudato Si’ action plan tailored for their local setting, with the help of guidelines and resources provided by the Dicastery LSAP organisers.
Tip: if you registered in a preliminary stage of the LSAP’s development, you may need to enrol again, as this new enrolment (from 14 November 2021) supersedes that prior registration.
Once enrolled in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, in order to remain enrolled only three things are requested:
1. Complete an annual self-assessment to discern where you are on the road to integral ecology;
2. Upload a reflection on how your values are connected to the Laudato Si’ Goals; and,
3. Upload an annual Laudato Si’ Plan that includes your target outcomes and the actions you will take in the coming year.
In this way, like-minded Catholics across the globe can ‘walk with’ one another and be inspired and supported by each other’s efforts to actualise the vision of Laudato Si’.
We know that a number of Religious communities in Australia are seriously considering or moving towards enrolling in the LSAP. And some have already taken the step. We are grateful for their leading the way in this positive, ambitious programme with aspirations for world-wide impact. Further information about ‘what’s happening’ already on the global LSAP front can be found here.
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform Enrolment Procedure:
1. To formally enrol your community in the LSAP, go to the LSAP webpage. This allows you to enter your contact person’s details. It places you on the Dicastery’s international mailing list and gives you access to further communications, guidelines and resources directly from the LSAP website and the Dicastery LSAP organisers.
N.B. If/when you sign up, do pay close attention to the Terms of Service and think carefully about what you decide to share in terms of resources and contact details. Only agree to what you feel comfortable with, and be attentive to any copyright issues relevant to the material you are sharing in the public domain. It is worth noting that the Terms of Service are being revised at the moment and will be adjusted.
Please note, too, that the LSAP website, which is a brilliant initiative in its intention to connect everyone in the vision of Laudato Si’ (and which CRA thoroughly supports), remains a work in progress in these early months of its development. It may be prudent to wait a bit before enrolling, to see how the website further develops in the coming few months (as we move from 2021 into 2022). The CRA Secretariat will enrol itself and will endeavour to keep up with any website developments so that we can advise Religious Leaders accordingly (while each Congregation makes their own decision about enrolment, of course).
2. If you have completed a commitment form (provided by UISG): This is meant as a symbolic document for internal use. You do not need to submit it externally. You might wish to display it as a reminder of your commitment, or use it as part of a prayer ritual. One Australian Congregation has placed their Commitment Statement (using their own wording) on their Congregational website – it can be found at the bottom of this webpage.
Also, Congregations are invited to:
Inform CRA of their commitment to move forward with their Laudato Si’ action plan. We will share the list of Congregation names on the CRA website in due course. We hope that an evolving picture of Australian religious committed to the vision of Laudato Si’ will inspire and encourage others.
Remember, the LSAP sign-up phase currently extends until 22 April 2022, Earth Day, so you have time to move on this commitment and to ‘get on board’ if you haven’t already. Information in response to FAQs can be accessed here.
Remember, too, that you can still move forward with an action plan for ecological integrity, even if you choose not to enrol at the LSAP website.
Please click here to watch a video about how to enrol in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.
In Pope Francis’ words:
“All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents”
(Laudato Si’, 14).