As part of the celebration of Laudato Si’ Week, observed annually from May 17 to 24, Jesuit priest Joel Thompson reflects on the urgency of embracing a true integral ecology—inspired by Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’—as a spiritual, social, and environmental path to caring for our common home.
Laudato Si’ Week marks the anniversary of the historic encyclical published on May 24, 2015, a text in which Pope Francis makes a strong call to all humanity to recognize that creation is a gift from God and not an unlimited resource for exploitation. From a Christian perspective, the earth reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator, and every creature possesses its own sacred value.
A Deeply Interconnected Environmental and Social Crisis
The author warns that climate change has become one of the greatest concerns facing humanity today. Recent scientific reports show that the past few years have been the warmest on record, as a result of the excessive use of fossil fuels and development models centered on excessive consumption.
Faced with this reality, Pope Francis insists that there are not two separate crises—one environmental and the other social—but a single socio-environmental crisis. In the words of *Laudato Si’*: “We are not facing two separate crises, but a complex crisis that is both social and environmental”.
From this perspective, integral ecology proposes understanding that care for nature is intimately linked to the defense of the poor, indigenous peoples, and the most vulnerable communities, who are often the first to be affected by environmental degradation.
Ecological conversion: a daily commitment
The text invites us to live an authentic “ecological conversion,” expressed in concrete, daily decisions that reflect an ethic of care:
- Resist consumerism and opt for a simple life.
- Reduce waste and limit the use of single-use plastics.
- Promote recycling and reuse practices.
- Commit to renewable energy and just energy transitions.
- Recognizing environmental damage as a moral failing against God’s plan.
Likewise, Fr. Thompson warns of the consequences of extractivist models that threaten territories and communities, especially in biodiverse and vulnerable regions. He points out how activities such as indiscriminate mining pollute rivers, destroy forests, and seriously affect the food security of indigenous peoples.
The Amazon and the Challenge of Caring for Life
These reflections resonate deeply in Amazonian territories, where communities experience the consequences of deforestation, pollution, and climate change on a daily basis. For the Church journeying in the Amazon, care for our common home is not a secondary option, but an essential part of the evangelizing mission and the commitment to life.
Integral ecology reminds us that everything is connected: the defense of the earth, human dignity, social justice, and spirituality. Listening to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor means transforming our lifestyles, our economies, and our relationships with creation.
As World Environment Day approaches, the invitation is clear: to build a culture of care, solidarity, and hope for future generations.