Church leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Region urging communities to dialogue and take action to reverse the impact of climate change.

Inspired by the Pope Francis Encyclical “Laudato Si” focusing on the environment or more formally – On Care for Our Common Home. It is a worldwide wake up call to help humanity understand the destruction that man is rendering to the environment and his fellow man.

Making a mark by planting a sapling, Msgr. Thumma Bala and Bishop M.D. Prakasam inaugurated the regional seminar on a call for integrated ecology “Laudato Si”.

Supported by Caritas India, the seminar aimed to enhance the awareness among clergies, teachers and community leader on “Laudato Si”, sharing community best practices for replication and dissemination and promoting linkages and collaboration with various development agencies working in the field of environment management.

The growing consumerism of the society is damaging the mother earth by misusing, abusing, polluting the environment said Most Rt. Rev. Thumma Bala and emphasised the need for action by the Catholic Church.

He emphasised that humanity has ability to work together to build our common home. He appealed to the church that time has come to blend the environment spirituality and work like crusaders of environment protection.

There is a need for political will and conversion of attitudes and habits of the society to solve the problems of the climate change said Bishop M.D Prakasam in his address. He stressed the need of a sincere and honest dialogue with all stakeholders as mentioned by Pope Francis to realize the objectives and goals.

Explaining some key chapters of “Laudato Si” Fr. Rayappa Kasi from Vellore diocese said coordination between the economy, social ecology and human ecology could help us to find a solution for the protection of our environment

He shared that Pope Francis is urging all of us to build a new structure to protect the environment and restore human dignity.

Sharing the ‘Go Green’ model of Bombay Archdiocese, Fr. Allwyn D’Silva explained the actions taken up by the Archdiocese in carrying forward the measures for protecting the environment.

The Archdiocese through its parishes are promoting use of public transport, rain water harvesting, electricity saving, installation of solar panels, safe disposal of garbage, and growing vegetables in individual houses.

The seminar ended with a regional and local action plan and way forward for the region. The participants pledged to take localized methods of integrated ecology through their respective commissions and dioceses.