"We hope it will encourage Catholics around Australia to make a commitment to do more to care for our planet and to leave a worthwhile legacy for generations to come,"

said Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service.

He continued, “The plan contains actions to care for our common home, the earth, and all who live on it. The Conference’s Secretariat and all our agencies will be busy implementing these actions over the next two years and we’ll be adding new actions for the following five years."

Some of the actions include the identification and planting of native species on Conference properties, ensuring slavery-free supply chains, using recyclable products where possible and providing prayer resources aligned with the messages of Laudato Si’.

Caritas Australia CEO Kirsty Robertson, who also appears in the video launching the Bishops Conference’s plan, noted that the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia encouraged all Catholics to embrace a commitment to ecological conversion.

“That means that every parish and diocese around Australia will need to be involved in a plan like the one launched today,” she said, noting that Caritas is supporting parishes and dioceses in that work.