The search for simplicity

This post was translated to English from the original "Hľadanie jednoduchosti". The image of the 21st century human is the pursuit of perfection. The desire and need to have everything right now: to buy fresh mandarins in Slovakia in December, to move from one place to another by the fastest means of transport, to be...

Online Weekend Retreat: Querida Casa Comun

It was the first time that I organized an activity for my job, gathering volunteers from FEC, CIDSE, and Casa Velha, and Casa Velha’s workers. When we imagined this meeting one year ago, it was intended to prepare volunteers for COP26. Participants would learn about climate policies at a European and local scale, watch a documentary,...

The Portuguese debate around climate justice

On the 25th, 26th and 27th of February approximately 80 people concerned about the challenges of sustainability and care for our common home joined the ACORDA! program - From ecological conversion to social transformation, in Lisbon, promoted by FEC, Casa Velha and CIDSE, co-financed by the Portuguese Cooperation Agency (Camões I.P.). This program, whose title alludes to...

The wealth of a simple life

This year I have had the opportunity to attend the “sustainable camp” in Ourem (Portugal) such a Manos Unidas volunteer with other young people from different CIDSE organizations. It has been a good time to stop the day-to-day stress and think about our personal role in the care of our “common home”. “Laudato Sí” calls...

Cafod volunteers see Laudato Si’ brought to life in Portugal

Sandra Iheanacho, a CAFOD volunteer from Westminster diocese, recently travelled to Fatima, Portugal to attend a sustainability camp inspired by Laudato Si’. There she saw Laudato Si’  brought to life and here she talks about her experiences and how every community can get involved. * This article was first published on CAFOD’s website. See here the link...

First steps into uprooting

I have to say that I had previous experience in agriculture, as my grandfather had fruit trees and I have learned to pick the up them with my family. However, I have never learned so much from ‘weeding’ or uprooting as in Casa Velha. How is it possible?The key for this learning process was father Francisco,...

A covenant between humanity and nature

This idea of a covenant is a sacred one to Catholicism, the idea of a promise between God and His people. We as stewards of God’s creation we are in a covenant with nature. This fine balance allows us to live alongside and reap the benefits the earth has to provide for us. As I...

Potential for the Good!

Sustainable living encompasses so many aspects, but importantly, we need to remember that this concept is something that everyone should strive for. It, after all, affects every single person. The degree in which it impacts people differ primarily by a simple thing such as where an individual is from and what it is that they...

Educating for the covenant between humanity and the environment

On Wednesday, we had many reminders of the relationship between humanity and the environment, both through the experience of nature at the beautiful Casa Velha, and through discussion and dialogue with people from many countries and backgrounds.  Casa Velha is a site that is very conducive to exploring how we can live in a right...