Sweden: Diocese of Stockholm, “global solidarity advocated in Laudato Si' even more relevant in times of coronavirus”

“The Laudato Si' Week was launched well before the start of the pandemic. This global epidemic has made us even more aware of the fact that all things are interconnected, beyond space and our social circle”. Pastoral worker Charles Câmara wrote this reflection on the website of the Diocese of Stockholm today, to mark the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical (24 May 2015) which is re-proposed worldwide these days. “The global solidarity advocated in the encyclical has become even more relevant in relation to the devastation caused by the virus throughout the world”. According to Câmara, it is also possible to see a connection between “coronavirus, climate change and creation”, with a message: “The existence of the pandemic tells the earth that humanity must not continue devastation at the expense of other living beings”. Since many churches are closed and many parishes are less active, “there may be less activities. But not everything should take place only in physical churches. There are opportunities for activities to be held elsewhere, including on social media, for those who wish”, Câmara suggested, inviting the faithful in Sweden to get inspiration from the website of the “Laudato Si’ Week” which provides “food for thought and action”, and stimuli to read or reread the encyclical and reflect on how to begin to act.
Sarah Numico