Inspired by Pope Francis's message? Want to put your faith into action?
The LiveSimply award is an opportunity for Catholic communities – parishes, schools, religious orders and chaplaincies – to answer the call for us to care for our common home and stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world.
The bishops of England and Wales have encouraged all parishes and schools to work towards the award as a way of “protecting this world which God has entrusted to us”.
“What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?”
What is the LiveSimply award?
The LiveSimply award is a scheme for communities and schools who can show how they have been living:
simply
sustainably with creation
in solidarity with people living in poverty.
The award celebrates what you have already done and inspires you to do more. It helps your community live, not just more simply, but also more fully.
LiveSimply for schools
Your school's actions will impact our global family, your local community and your school community as you reflect the teachings of Laudato Si’ and Catholic Social Teaching along your journey.
How to get started
1. Explore
If you’re excited by the idea of working towards the award, share that excitement with others in your community. A small enthusiastic group - whether an existing CAFOD group or Justice and Peace group or a handful of people ready for a new challenge - is all you need to get started, along with the backing of your parish priest or head teacher.
This group leads the way, but they don’t do everything! A LiveSimply award needs to involve as many people in the community as possible. From the youngest to the oldest, each person’s different strengths and interests contribute to making it a success.
2. Sign up
Please use our straightforward form to sign up online.
“An important part of our faith is to care for creation and to develop respect for other people in the world. Becoming a LiveSimply parish helps you go deeper and to take action.”
LiveSimply ideas
We’re here to support you taking steps to a greener lifestyle, finding more time to reflect and providing practical help to those in need.
3. Plan
To apply for the award, your community needs to plan one substantial action (something which involves either a significant change or a lot of people) and at least two smaller actions under each of these three headings:
living simply
living sustainably
living in solidarity with people living in poverty.
So that's nine actions in total!
Start by thinking about what your community could do. Perhaps you could welcome refugees, support a local food bank, join CAFOD campaigns, look after a parish or school garden, collect recycling, or run a Fairtrade stall. You may find you already have a long list.
Send us a copy of your completed plan by email. We'll send you a certificate to display to show that your community is working towards the LiveSimply award.
4. Take action
Now’s the time to put your plan into action. It’s up to you how long you take, but most communities take about a year to work towards the award. This gives time to get different groups on board, but not so long that people lose momentum.
As you go along, collect evidence to illustrate what you have done. This could be photos, service sheets, or media cuttings. You can share these when your parish is assessed and with your community to show what you have achieved together.
If you have questions or challenges along the way, just call or email us.
5. Request an assessment
When you’ve completed your plan, get in touch with us by phone or email livesimplyaward@cafod.org.uk to request an assessment. This is an opportunity to share and celebrate what you’ve been doing – it’s not a test! The LiveSimply assessor will tell you if you have achieved the award and give you advice on what to do next.
6. Celebrate!
This is a chance to say ‘thank you’ to all those who contributed to achieving your award.
Many communities organise or dedicate a special Mass or other event:
St John Bosco in Reading held a Creation Mass, followed by a shared meal
St Peter the Apostle in Leamington Spa invited their Bishop to present the award
St Augustine’s in Tunbridge Wells even baked a LiveSimply cake.
We’ll send you a LiveSimply award plaque to display and offer advice on how to get media coverage.
Laudato Si' Action Platform
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform has been launched by Pope Francis to inspire and encourage the global Catholic Church to reflect on their part in the care of God’s creation and love of their neighbour, over a seven-year journey.
LiveSimply has been officially recognised as a wonderful way for parishes to be part of a Laudato Si’ journey.
Watch our Laudato Si Action Platform and LiveSimply webinar, which explores how the new Laudato Si' Action Platform will work and how we, as LiveSimply communities, can be part of this Global Catholic journey of ecological conversion being promoted by Pope Francis and the Vatican.
LiveSimply award communities
St Mary of the Angels
The Holy Angels
St John the Evangelist
St Joseph
St Clement
St Edmund King & Martyr
Our Lady of Sorrows
Our Lady of Lourdes
St Peter Apostle
Newman University Catholic Chaplaincy
Christ the King & Our Lady of Lourdes
St Mary Immaculate
St Elizabeth
St John the Baptist
St Mary
Our Lady's and St Peter's
St Charles Borromeo
Sacred Heart
St Mary of the Angels
Holy Trinity
St Patrick’s, Coventry
St Thomas More, Coventry
St Wulstan's and St John the Evangelist
St John Henry Newman
St Michael's, Sonning Common
Our Lady of the Wayside
Knights of St Columba Council 192 Southend
Our Lady & St Patrick
Cathedral Church of St Mary & St Helen
St Teresa of Lisieux
St Francis of Assisi
St Stanislaus
St Bonaventure
St Augustine of Canterbury
St John the Evangelist
Most Holy Trinity and St Henry Morse
Our Lady's Roman Catholic Church
Sacred Heart
Cathedral of St John the Baptist
St Laurence
St Edmund, King and Martyr
St Joseph's
St Vincent's
St Bede (All Saints)
St Joseph
St Joseph and St Cuthbert's
St Joseph's Catholic Church
St Joseph's Catholic Church
Our Lady & St Edward's Catholic Church
St Wilfrid's Catholic Church
St Mary's Menston
St Mary & St Michael
St Benedict
Our Lady of Kirkstall Parish
St John Fisher & St Thomas More
St Anne
The Parish of St Wilfrid
St Charles and St Thomas More Parish
Our Lady of the Annunciation (Bishop Eton)
St Mary's, Woolton
St Mary's Cathedral
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Our Lady & St Edward
The Holy Spirit
St Anne
SS Peter & Paul
St Ralph Sherwin
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish
Holy Family
Sacred Heart
Blessed Sacrament
Diocese of Plymouth Curia Offices
St John Bosco
St Peter and the Winchester Martyrs
Our Lady & St Edmund of Abingdon
Immaculate Conception Church
St Joseph
English Martyrs
St Mary's
Parish of St Mary and St John Fisher - St Mary (Our Lady of Sorrows)
St John the Evangelist
Holy Apostles and Martyrs
Sacred Heart RC Church
St Augustine
Holy Innocents
Our Lady of Lourdes
St James
Guides - 7th Hitchin
Sacred Heart of Jesus & St Joseph
Holy Apostles
Our Lady of Lourdes
St Matthew
Our Lady Immaculate & St Andrew
St John Vianney