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Vatican Launches Digital Atlas to Support Laudato Si’
· Confirmed
In Short: The Vatican has launched a digital atlas to advance Pope Francis’ ecological vision outlined in Laudato Si’.
Ten years after the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, the Vatican has launched a new digital atlas to advance his ecological vision.
The Atlas of Laudato Si’ was presented at a press conference at the Holy See Press Office, where Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, emphasized the importance of the encyclical as an invitation to personal and communal ecological conversion.
Molly Burhans, an American cartographer, pioneered the data collection and curation of the Atlas of Laudato Si’. She stated, “If you want to make environmental action, you should understand the environment.”
The atlas uses data from the Leonum Institute of The Catholic University of America and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. It provides a digital space where families, parishes, schools, religious congregations, dioceses, and other institutions can develop integral ecology plans, undertake practical initiatives, and monitor their progress.
The fifth annual report of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform highlights growing participation, practical initiatives worldwide, and the challenges facing the Church as it turns ecological commitments into lasting change. The report reflects on achievements and progress and presents new initiatives such as the launch of a new Digital Atlas that will help Catholic communities share experiences and respond to environmental challenges.
The Platform's next priorities include improving accessibility, strengthening the use of data, and developing a global network of Digital Missionaries. The initiative aims to accelerate institutional change to match the pace of ecological destruction, as urged by Church leaders.
Alonso de Llanes, Programme Director of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, explained that the interactive tool would connect Catholic institutions’ ecological initiatives with geographical and environmental information. He said, “We have spent five years bringing communities to the Platform. Now we want the Platform to bring communities to one another.”
Background
The Vatican has launched a new digital atlas to support Pope Francis' ecological vision, as outlined in his encyclical Laudato Si’.
The Vatican has launched a new digital atlas to advance Pope Francis’ ecological vision.
What's confirmed
- Ten years after the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, the Vatican has launched a new digital atlas to advance his ecological vision.
- Molly Burhans is an American cartographer who pioneered the data collection and curation of the Atlas of Laudato Si’. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Molly Burhans “If you want to make environmental action, you should understand the environment,” Burhans told EWTN News.
- The press conference also presented a new digital atlas to demonstrate the Church’s commitment to integral ecology worldwide.
- The Atlas of Laudato Si’. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Molly Burhans “Living our vocation as guardians of Godʼs work is ‘not something optional nor a secondary aspect of Christian experience,’” Sister Smerilli said.
- The atlas uses data from the Leonum Institute of The Catholic University of America and the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
- The fifth annual report of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform highlights growing participation, practical initiatives worldwide, and the challenges facing the Church as it turns ecological commitments into lasting change.
- It provides a digital space where families, parishes, schools, religious congregations, dioceses and other institutions can develop integral ecology plans, undertake practical initiatives and monitor their progress.
- The Platform's next priorities include improving accessibility, strengthening the use of data, and developing a global network of Digital Missionaries.
- The Atlas will incorporate environmental data on deforestation, emissions, and exposure to hurricanes, helping Church leaders and local communities better understand the environmental conditions in which they operate and identify opportunities for collaboration.
- Alessandra Smerilli, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, stressed that Laudato Si’ was intended not merely as a document to be read but as an invitation to personal and communal ecological conversion.
- “Caring for creation and caring for humanity are one and the same task.” Participants also reflected on the impact of Laudato Si’ since its publication.
What's still developing
- Nothing material beyond the confirmed record.