In response to Pope Francis’ environmental message “Laudato Si” 2015 calling for Catholics’ responsibility for “our common home”, Catholics in Hanoi’s 22 districts have operated 22 practical programs for environmental protection, from one pilot model developed by Cam Co Parish in Thuong Tin district.

Localities have selected different contents for environmental protection, suiting practical environment issues. Dinh Quan Catholic Community in Bac Tu Liem District has chosen to make changes in the traditional burial of the dead to cremation, contributing to save land for later generations as well as avoid environmental pollution. So far, 100% of the dead in the locality have been cremated, and the district is expanded this type of work into the Catholic communities of Phuc Ly and Tay Tuu.

Son Dong Catholic Community in Son Tay District has emphasized the classification of organic and non-organic wastes. At present, many households in the locality use bins to keep organic wastes and discharge only inorganic wastes daily, and the local authorities have placed 60 rubbish bins in public places.

Meanwhile, the Catholic solidarity board in Dan Phuong District has encouraged parishioners of Thuy Ung not to burn straw and stubble after rice harvesting and use them to make organic fertilizers instead, as well as not to use coal stoves, so as to practically reduce air pollution in the locality.  

In addition, Catholics in Dong Da District have launched a weekly cleaning in Tran Quang Khai Park; Phuc Tan Catholic Community in Hoan Kiem District have chosen to beautified the community pathway with paintings on walls along the way, etc.

For better implementing practical programs for environmental conservation, the committee for solidarity of Vietnamese Catholics in Hanoi has regularly checked the operating models of environmental protection by field trips in order to make prompt adjustments and expanded successful programs into new Catholic localities.

PTT