The Letter tells the story of the Pope’s call to care for our planet. For info on translated versions and how to take action, visit https://TheLetterFilm.org.
In 2015, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ (The Letter); an encyclical letter about the environmental crisis to every single person in the world. A few years later, four voices that have gone unheard in global conversations have been invited to an unprecedented dialogue with the Pope. Hailing from Senegal, the Amazon, India, and Hawai’i, they bring perspective and solutions from the poor, the indigenous, the youth, and wildlife into a conversation with Pope Francis himself. This documentary follows their journey to Rome and the extraordinary experiences that took place there, and is packed with powerfully moving personal stories alongside the latest information about the planetary crisis and the toll it’s taking on nature and people.
Because, in the words of the Laudato Si’ Movement chair Lorna Gold, “once you know, you CANNOT look away.”
Using this resource in sixth form
Sixth-form students concerned about the climate crisis will find this film both engaging and thought-provoking. It challenges the viewer to discover and explore connections between their own faith and care for our planet.
The film is one hour and 20 minutes long, making it ideal for retreats.
It could also be watched in sections over two or three RE lessons, followed by a discussion. The questions below are a possible starting point.
Discussion questions
These questions could be used for personal reflection or group discussion:
What made the most impression on you in the film? What sticks in your mind?
How/where have you encountered the sacred? Where have you met God in nature?
How can we make time and space to listen to those whose voices we do not usually hear? Where do you encounter people with different views from your own?
In the film, we are told “The Amazon depends on you.” We are also asked how we will care for our common home. What will you do and how do you think this care for the earth connects with your faith?
What signs of hope do you see in the film and/or in our world?
1. How/where have you encountered the sacred? Where have you met God in nature?
Prompt: Reflect on a moment when you felt a deep connection with the natural world around you. Describe the experience and how it made you feel. Did this moment change the way you see nature? How does this experience relate to your understanding of the sacred or divine?
2. How can we make time and space to listen to those whose voices we do not usually hear? Where do you encounter people with different views from your own?
Prompt: Think about a time when you were exposed to a perspective or experience very different from your own. How did it make you feel? What did you learn from this encounter, and how can we create more opportunities to listen and learn from those with different voices or views? Discuss the importance of empathy and understanding in these interactions.
3. In the film, we are told “The Amazon depends on you.” We are also asked how we will care for our common home. What will you do and how do you think this care for the earth connects with your faith?
Prompt: After watching “The Letter,” what actions are you inspired to take to care for our planet, and how do these actions connect with your personal beliefs or faith? How can individual and collective action contribute to the well-being of our common home, and what role does faith play in motivating you to take action?
4. What signs of hope do you see in the film and/or in our world?
Prompt: Identify and discuss any signs of hope that you noticed in “The Letter” or in the world around us. How do these signs of hope inspire you to contribute to positive change? Reflect on how hope can be a driving force in environmental stewardship and the fight against climate change.
Learn more and take action.
You can find further ways to support CAFOD’s work on tackling the climate crisis at cafod.org.uk/climate
