Passau relies on Laudato si: Green guidelines for the future!

Passau relies on Laudato si: Green guidelines for the future!

On October 25, 2025, the general assembly of the Passau Diocesan Council took place in the Haus Spectrum Church. The focus of the meeting was the topic “Preservation of Creation” and the new “Guidelines for Ecology, Economy for the Common Good and Global Development Contexts”. Chairman Markus Biber described these issues as the diocesan council's heartfelt concerns and emphasized the members' commitment to the environment. Loud Diocese of Passau Bishop Stefan Oster SDB emphasized how important the topic “Laudato si” is for the church in Passau.

But what exactly happens at the general assembly? Angelika Görmiller presented the long history of “Laudato si” in the Diocese of Passau and specifically pointed out the “beginning perpetrators” who deal intensively with questions relating to creation and the environment as well as the professional and working world. The “Laudato si” working group has been working on a concept since 2017 that provides impulses for climate protection, fair and sustainable business and global development responsibility in the diocese. A full report of the meeting will be published in the current issue of the Diocesan Gazette, such as this Passau diocese newspaper reported.

Responsibility and networking in environmental commitment

The commitment to an economy for the common good was highlighted by the “Laudato si” working group, which is currently revising the ecological guidelines. Josef Holzbauer, the former environmental officer, made it clear how important the ongoing development of ecological thinking and an orientation towards the common good is. The meeting made it clear that social justice is inextricably linked to responsibility for creation.

Christine Krammer and Helmut Degenhart emphasized the role of social justice in this responsibility. Degenhart also highlighted the need for networking in environmental advocacy to achieve broader support for issues surrounding creation. Herbert Schwohsuber, Chairman of the Creation and Environment Committee, called for an increased focus on “Laudato si” and a targeted advancement of the existing guidelines. The aim is to use the potential of those committed to the environment in the diocese and to network them more closely in order to initiate joint projects.

A look over the garden fence: The philosophy of land ethics

The discussion about environmental commitment and dealing with creation is strongly reminiscent of the ideas of the American conservationist Aldo Leopold. On the platform Environmental ethics His “country ethic” is discussed, which calls for a respectful and responsible approach to nature. Leopold rejected the strict separation of utility, aesthetics and ethics and recognized the need to protect the community of soils, waters, plants, animals and people.

In this context it also becomes clear how extensively the topics of the environment, ethics and social justice are interconnected. The central question remains: What environmental knowledge is necessary in order to be able to act ecologically in a reflective and successful manner? Dealing with these topics is becoming increasingly important both in the diocese and in society and offers numerous starting points for future discussions and projects.