Mayo shrine to host conference on faith and biodiversity

Knock Shrine will host a special conference later this month exploring how faith communities can play a leading role in protecting and restoring biodiversity.

The ‘Faith in Bloom – Church Return to Nature’ conference will take place at the St John’s Rest and Care Centre at Knock Shrine on Saturday, August 29, from 10am to 3pm.

The event is being organised by Mayo County Council’s Biodiversity Office and Knock Shrine as part of the Church Return to Nature Project.

Knock Shrine is a flagship participant in the initiative and the conference will highlight the work carried out on its grounds in partnership with Mayo County Council.

Projects at the shrine have included the creation of pollinator-friendly habitats and native orchards, the installation of bird and bat boxes, reduced mowing regimes and the development of a comprehensive Biodiversity Action Plan.

The Church Return to Nature Project was developed following Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, which called for greater environmental stewardship.

In response to the biodiversity crisis and the call from Laudato Si’, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has set a goal of returning 30% of church lands to nature by 2030. The project has been developed in partnership with Local Authority Biodiversity Officers in Mayo, Clare, Wexford, Leitrim, Louth and Limerick.

With almost one million visitors coming to Knock each year, organisers say the shrine provides an important opportunity to demonstrate how practical action for nature can inspire communities across Ireland.

The conference will feature a range of speakers and will provide an opportunity to learn from the work undertaken at Knock, share experiences and explore how parishes and other faith communities can become more actively involved in biodiversity conservation.

The conference is funded through the NPWS Local Biodiversity Action Fund. Free resources will also be available for participants to take home and use in their own communities.

The event is free and open to all faith communities, Tidy Towns groups and community organisations.

Those wishing to attend can register through the ‘What’s On’ section of the Knock Shrine website.