2025 marks ten years since Pope Francis released his first message, “Show Mercy to our Common Home” for the “World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation” (1 September), beginning the Season of Creation (1 September -4 October).

This year we also celebrate the 800^th anniversary of St. Francis’ Canticle of Creation and the tenth anniversary of the ground-breaking encyclical “Laudato Si’ “which takes its name from the Canticle. Each of these anniversaries reinforces the importance of the call to each one of us to respond in prayer and action to protect and care for our common home, deepening our relationship with our God, our neighbour and the earth we share.

In this Jubilee year of Hope, in a world challenged by wars, climate change, poverty, homelessness and hunger, the 2025 Season of Creation’s theme Peace with Creation is both timely and fitting. This theme, inspired by Isaiah 32:14-18, highlights how human actions, particularly those involving injustice and environmental degradation, lead to a desolate and wounded Earth. We see this visualised in the logo for this year.

In our Constitutions (#43) we are urged
“…to work for ecological well-being
for the protection and sharing of natural resources
and to engage in efforts to limit harm to our planet.”

• Expressions of our commitment to climate justice and the interconnectedness of all life can be read about here and in the ministry reports from each of our branches here
• Resources for celebrating this season can be accessed on the Season of Creation website here