The livesimply project is based on a radical idea: that God calls us to live simply.

We are asked to look hard at our lifestyles, and to choose to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor.

It's not just about money. It's a challenge to reflect, celebrate and take action in order to work for justice, and to be happier in ourselves as a result. It's about seeking what we need rather than grasping for more, sharing not hoarding.

"You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor, but you are giving them back what is theirs… The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich." St Ambrose

How did it start?

The idea for livesimply comes from a prophetic document, written by Pope Paul VI.

"On the Development of Peoples" (Populorum Progressio) explains what the Church was saying about the growing poverty and injustice of the developing world.

Written in 1967, the messages are still loud and clear:

"God intended the earth and everything in it for the use of all human beings and peoples."

It's a call for us to live a new kind of life, in solidarity with the community, motivated by faith.