Caritas Freetown Marks 10 Years of Laudato Si’ with Call to Environmental Action in Sierra Leone

He however points out ongoing challenges like rising sea levels, flooding, and loss of livelihoods that he says continue to affect the people of Freetown, especially the vulnerable.

Fr. Konteh encourages Sierra Leoneans to continue expressing love that promotes justice and human dignity. He urges them to focus on community climate advocacy, to support victims of climate-related issues, and to promote of ecological education in their respective Parishes and communities.

In the statement, the Caritas Freetown Executive Director appeals to his compatriots to “deepen this collective effort, promoting sustainable development that uplifts the most vulnerable and safeguards our city’s future.”

“The people of Freetown, guided by faith and hope, have shown resilience and a deep sense of community,” he says, and implores, “May this anniversary inspire renewed hope and action among us all. Let us continue to embrace the message of Laudato Si’, working tirelessly with love, justice, and faith to build a more sustainable and compassionate world.”

In a video shared with ACI Africa, Fr. Konteh is featured remembering the late Pope Francis for his legacy on the care of the environment, which he describes as “the biggest” in the late Pontiff’s papacy.

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He notes that the release of the Laudato Si’ Encyclical Letter marked the beginning of a transformation in the people’s consciousness toward caring for the earth.

In the video recording, Fr. Konteh emphasizes that Laudato Si’ outlined ways in which humans abuse the environment. He notes that based on the late Pope Francis’ call to integral ecology, many international bodies use Laudato Si’ as the print for their discussion on the environment, social economic and economic system.

He describes the Laudato Si’ as a fantastic document encouraging people to review the progress and achievements and to work on their weaknesses in taking care of the environment, urging for collective call for action.

In the video, Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles of Sierra Leone’s Catholic Archdiocese of Freetown reminds the people of God under his pastoral care of the dangers of environmental degradation.

Archbishop Tamba Charles highlights and cautions against human activities that contribute to environmental harm, including burning fossil fuels, deforestation, mining, and the uncontrolled disposal of waste.