Society
Of The Divine Word

At the invitation of Catholic Action Vienna and the Steyler Missionaries, environmental activists met on Saturday, 24 May 2025, exactly 10 years after the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, to exchange ideas, network, pray and celebrate. Br. Emanuel Huemer SVD and Fr. Franz Helm SVD from the Divine Word Missionaries’ “Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation” team were instrumental in preparing and organising the event.

In twelve concise statements, environmental activists explained how Laudato Si has inspired and influenced their commitment and drew a balance that can be summarised in the following common denominator: A lot has happened, and yet far too little. Although the Church has become more visible and present in society through its socio-ecological commitment, effective political measures to curb global warming have failed to materialise. However, many positive examples were also given of what church and non-church environmental work, inspired and guided by the analyses and proposals of Laudato Si, has achieved.

Fr. Olivier Ongway SVD, who is a chaplain in Mödling and comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, described the disastrous effects of mining, deforestation and climate change in the Congo Basin and emphasised that the encyclical Laudato Si is an important source of inspiration for the local church.