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livesimply Parish Award

Could yours be an award-winning parish?

Get set for The livesimply award. A national prize for Catholic parishes making a difference to their community – and the world!

Do people in your parish care about the environment? Do they support people in need at home or overseas? Do they enjoy the chance to put their faith into action?

livesimply - Boy harvesting vegetables

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, your parish is already on the way to winning a livesimply award.

Since 2006, over 60 Catholic organisations have been encouraging us all to live simply, sustainably with creation, and in solidarity with the poor.

The new livesimply award will recognise parishes’ achievements in putting these principles into action and will be launched in May 2011. From “greening” their church buildings to supporting fairtrade, there are many ways parishes can win an award.

This is an initiative developed by livesimply network member CAFOD in partnership with Ecocongregation. To qualify, your parish must carry out a simple parish self-assessment and demonstrate how it will bring the livesimply principles to life. The key livesimply principles are:

i) livesimply
ii) live in solidarity with the poor
iii) live sustainably with the environment (in partnership with eco-congregation.)

If you are successful, your parish will be presented with a livesimply wooden plaque to display – and encouraged to celebrate your success!

Along the way, we hope you will offer inspiration to the wider community with your message of hope and transformation. We hope the actions you take locally will have a profound effect on your own congregation and neighbourhood – strengthening your bonds and nourishing your spiritual life. Also knowing that together with Catholic parishes throughout England and Wales, you are standing up for those most affected by climate change, poverty and injustice in the world.

“The environment is God’s gift to everyone, and in our use of it we have a responsibility towards the poor, towards future generations and towards humanity as a whole.” Caritas in Veritate - “Charity in Truth”, Pope Benedict XVI, 2009

To find out more about the livesimply award scheme to be launched in May 2011, please contact Maria Elena Arana on marana@cafod.org.uk or telephone 0207 095 5417.