Upcoming Event: Screening of ‘The Letter’ at Knock Shrine

The Letter Film – A Message for Our Earth

“Faced as we are with global environmental deterioration, I wish to address every person living on this planet.”

– (Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 3)

Taking place in the Prayer Centre, Knock Shrine on Saturday 11th February (admission free).

There will be two screenings at 11am and 2pm. If attending, please allow two hours for viewing the film and for a short discussion /Q&A after the screenings.

Advance booking is required online through Eventbrite.

We are delighted to host a screening of the letter at Knock Shrine, a wonderful way to begin our series of event for spring/summer. Our liturgical theme for 2023 is ‘Caring for God’s Creation’ and  will be central to all of our events an specials days throughout the year.

“The Letter – A Message for our Earth” was launched in the Vatican on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4^th.
‘The Letter’ is a powerful movie which tells the story of four people from very different backgrounds and the roles they are playing to care more deeply for our common home. Arouna from Senegal is living on the front lines of the climate crisis, Rhidiyma from India, is a young climate activist, Dr. Greg Asner and his wife Robin are marine biologists based in Hawaii and Chief Dada is an indigenous leader from the Amazonian region. It is a letter from Pope Francis which brings these characters together to a meeting in Rome. The movie takes viewers on a journey from Brasil to India to Rome and deep into the heart of the ecological crisis.

The movie is stunningly made by award winning director Nicholas Brown. Making a movie about Laudato Si’ is not an easy task – the encyclical does not exactly have a plot – so the movie tries to bring the essence of Laudato Si’ into a dialogue with Pope Francis and voices from around the world. The real story is about the movement of hearts that is needed to address the damage caused by the human abuse of God’s creation. It is a rallying call for the whole earth. Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ for everyone living on this planet and this is reflected in The Letter as the four voices represent the communities of the indigenous, science, youth and the voice of the poor.

Trócaire are encouraging parish communities, educational institutions, retreat centres, community centres and households to arrange a screening of The Letter and to get a conversation going about how everyone can use their gifts and talents to contribute to the solutions that are needed urgently in order to protect our common home.

Jane Mellett, Laudato Si Officer with Trócaire will be present for discussion and questions and answers after each screening.

You can find out more about the letter and watch the short trailer here.