Mumbai: Sunday evening saw over 100 members of the Christian community gather at Salvation Kendra, Dadar, to chalk out an environmental action plan for the 124 parishes of the Bombay Archdiocese.The event was organised by the Archdiocesan Office for Environment (AOE), a department committed to creating awareness on climate change in the community. The consultation, called ‘Implementing the Vision of Laudato Si’, was held to discuss the framework developed by the Rome-based Laudato Si Action Platform. The Laudato Si is a papal encyclical or public letter drawn up by Pope Francis in 2015, that highlights material and moral implications of climate change and biodiversity loss and emphasises care for the environment and people—its guidance anchored in Christian theology and doctrine.The event was attended by Archbishop John Rodrigues, Bishop Allwyn D’Silva (in charge of AOE), members of Green Cells (parish environmental groups), and Eco Ambassadors, who are participants of an environmental course conducted by the AOE.

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The framework proposes seven goals, with actions and timelines, categorised under the following headers: Response to the cry of the earth; Response to the cry of the poor; Ecological economics; Adoption of sustainable lifestyles; Ecological education; Ecological spirituality; and Community resilience and empowerment.Actions proposed require that each parish frame guidelines by 2026, establish a Green Cell and enlist at least five Eco Ambassadors by 2030. In five years, the archdiocese aims to have every parish in the city switch over completely to renewable energy, install rainwater harvesting facilities, achieve 100% shroud burials, and discontinue use of flower bouquets. By 2027, each parish is to conduct an energy audit.Environmental themes would be incorporated in prayer services and parishes should organise interfaith gatherings to discuss common civic challenges. It also recommends that parishes draft an emergency-response plan for environmental disasters and form and train local disaster response teams. The archdiocese will also work towards creating a database of green vendors and nonprofits that provide environmental services and will urge parishioners to patronise them.On their part, churches are to organise white elephant stalls and thrift sales biannually to encourage people to embrace sustainability and reduce waste.Fr. Luke Rodrigues, head of the AOE, says, “We will implement this mission by electing ‘model parishes’ in each deanery (a geographical sector within the archdiocese), train them in good practices, and direct them to train neighbouring parishes in turn.”