Cardinal Tagle: Use our gifts to contribute to the Church’s mission

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Fr. Augusto Zampini and Fr. Michael Perry gathered for the prayer meeting organized in Rome by the Global Catholic Climate Movement to mark the conclusion of Laudato Si’ celebrations. The meeting took place simultaneously in Assisi with Bishop Domenico Sorrentino and via web, entrusting the mandate to spread the Gospel of Creation and care for our common home to Laudato Si’ animators, young people, pastoral workers and faithful in general.

“In the mission of the Church every baptized person has received a gift from the Holy Spirit that must be developed by participating in the mission itself”, and as regards Laudato Si’, this “is the care for our common home.” The words of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, on Sunday in speaking to Vatican News on the missionary mandate entrusted to Laudato Si’ animators of the Global Catholic Climate Movement, pastoral workers, young people and all people of good will. Pope Francis had announced this a few hours earlier at the Regina Coeli, when he spoke of the “mandate to spread the Gospel of Creation and to care for our common home.”

The prayer meeting

Monday marks the sixth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on caring for our common home, published on May 24, 2015. During Laudato Si’ Week, a time marking the conclusion of the special Year called by the Pope as a way to reflect on and put into practice points in the document. Cardinal Tagle led the prayer meeting at the General Curia of the Friars Minor in Rome on Pentecost Sunday, the time we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit inaugurating the Church’s mission.

Rome, Assisi and the five continents

The celebration, followed via web throughout the world, began with remarks by Bishop Domenico Sorrentino of Assisi in a video link-up with the Shrine of Saint Dominic in the Umbrian town. He explained that this is the place where Saint Francis “began to build his house”, opening his heart and responding to the Lord’s call to “mission, action, taking initiative”. He said today “you are the missionaries: go and repair our common home”, addressing the animators present and those watching from the five continents. Executive Director of the Global Catholic Climate Movement, Tomás Insua, coordinated the event.

Vatican By Giada Aquilino