Bishop Shane is encouraging all Sandhurst parishes to enrol with Catholic Earthcare and become a Catholic Earthcare Parish. Catholic Earthcare Parishes have access to resources, tools and support and follow a 3-step certification process to inform, guide and inspire them in their journey towards the Laudato Si’ goals.

“Catholic Earthcare has done a lot of the groundwork; their tools are specific to the Australian context and provide an effective structure for parishes to design and implement their course of action towards sustainability,” said Lyn Breen, Sandhurst Care for Creation Team Member.

The Sandhurst Care for Creation Team has been working hard to assist parishes to harness the power of the Earthcare Parishes Program and is hosting information sessions next week with the hope of having all Sandhurst parishes enrolled as Catholic Earthcare Parishes.

Some Sandhurst parishes have already registered as Earthcare Parishes and the Chancery has registered as a Catholic Earthcare Organisation. Like parishes, The Chancery will commit to completing the self-assessment, designing a strategy and implementing changes across its services that are inline with our values and particularly integral ecology.

Kerry Stone, Sandhurst Caritas/Justice Coordinator is presently working with Catholic Earthcare (a program of Caritas Australia) helping coordinate the Parish Program. “I’m really excited to see the Earthcare Parishes program expanding across Australia and I’m especially proud to see my own diocese committing to this important journey,” says Kerry.

In response to Pope Francis' call to action, dioceses across the world are signing up to the Universal Church’s Laudato Si’ Goals. Here in Sandhurst, the Care for Creation Team is actively helping parishes to enroll as Catholic Earthcare parishes. There is a real groundswell of movement towards integral ecology and sustainability and a real sense of universal solidarity as one people caring for the beautiful home which is created for us.

Find out more about Catholic Earthcare Parishes.

Find out more about the Laudato Si' Action Platform. 

Read Pope Francis' encyclical, 'Laudato Si' on Our Commone Home'.

Read the Australian Bishops' Social Justice Statement 2021-2022 'Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor'.