FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Katie Zakrzewski | 501-618-0234 | katie@catholicclimatecovenant.org
October 9, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC — From October 1-3, Catholic leaders from the Laudato Si’ Movement, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Catholic Climate Covenant joined with global partners in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical, Laudato Si’.
The meeting was facilitated by Laudato Si’ Movement, the global network of Catholic environmental justice leaders, with partners, and attended by over 400 Catholic, other faith, and secular leaders engaged in the care of our common home from around the world.
The highlight of the conference happened early on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 1, when His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, addressed the gathering. His speech acknowledged how the encyclical inspired many people of goodwill to work to protect the Earth, but noted that there is still much to be done. He encouraged all of us to continue to work to transform hearts so they may both recognize the human impact on the environment and act to do more to reduce the threats we face. He said:
We must shift from collecting data to caring; and from environmental discourse to an ecological conversion that transforms both personal and communal lifestyles. For believers, this conversion is in fact no different to the one that orients us towards the living God. We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures. Nor can we call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ without participating in his outlook on creation and his care for all that is fragile and wounded.
As Pope Francis did, Pope Leo also acknowledged that while individual acts to care for creation are important, more must be done to pressure governments to adopt “rigorous regulations, procedures and controls. Citizens need to take an active role in political decision-making at national, regional, and local levels.”
He concluded by asking us to consider this question: “God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that he created (cf. Genesis 2:15), for the benefit of all and for future generations, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters (cf. Genesis 4:9; John 13:34).“
The conference continued on October 2 and 3 with internationally-renowned leaders from both the faith community and secular environmental world. Included were voices from Indigenous peoples to youth and young adults, and from Catholic bishops and cardinals, to women and men working tirelessly to draw attention to our environmental crises, particularly the threat of climate change, which is a current and ongoing threat to the future of humanity.
Participants then generated over 200 pledges — both individual and organizational — to do more to live up to the challenges of Laudato Si’.
True to the goal of the conference to raise hope, the closing rituals delivered. It was clear to those of us from the U.S. that everyone was motivated to redouble our efforts to care for our common home.
United States Attendee Reactions
Marianne Comfort, Interim Director, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team: “I left the conference inspired by participants from around the world defending their communities from the harms of climate change and extractivism and by faith leaders responding with hope through action. It is exciting to know that the commitments we made there to address the ecological crises will be delivered to COP30 in Belem, Brazil, next month.”
Dan Misleh, Executive Director, Catholic Climate Covenant: “The global perspective that was in full array at this conference was eye-opening and inspiring. So many concrete policies and actions are taking place from the Philippines to Kenya and from Argentina to France. Global indigenous and other impacted communities reminded those of us in developed countries how much more we need to do to reduce the harmful emissions causing climate change and continue to inspire hope, transform hearts, and develop programs for real action.”
Lisa Sullivan, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns: “What a privilege to have the opportunity to share with so many deeply committed people from around the world. From Amazon leaders to Appalachian pastors, from South African Laudato Si’ animators to Polish farmers, from Filipino activists to Ukrainian climate scientists, there was an extraordinary exchange of inspirations and experiences of caring for our Common Home. We each carry back to our countries a small flask of the melted waters of the iceberg blessed by Pope Leo — and with it a powerfully renewed commitment to our earth and to one another.”
Jill Rauh, Executive Director, Secretariat of Justice and Peace, USCCB: “Pope Leo’s powerful words are an inspiration to the many U.S. dioceses, parishes, and others seeking to ‘raise hope’ through the work of integral ecology. As we respond to the call to hear ‘the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor,’ we are grateful for the leadership of the Holy Father and the witnesses of so many speakers and participants calling each of us to conversion of heart and new ways of acting.”
Anna Johnson, North America Director of the Laudato Si’ Movement: “It was incredibly energizing to gather with leaders from around the globe, from Tuvalu to Canada and so many places in between, to face these ecological crises with the power of community, solidarity, and hope. Pope Leo’s words and blessings brought healing to so many experiencing ecological harm, and a challenge to those exacerbating harm. The launching of the People’s Determined Contributions in response to the need for more urgent action was an infusion of hope!”
Gina Castillo, Catholic Relief Services: “Attending the Raising Hope conference deeply moved me, witnessing the passion and solidarity of so many answering the Church’s call to care for our common home. It was a profound reminder that our mission as people of faith includes not only protecting creation but also comforting and uplifting those already wounded by the climate crisis — the displaced, the vulnerable, and the suffering. While our personal choices matter, lasting change will come when we, as faithful citizens, raise our voices and urge our leaders to enact policies that care for both people and planet, as stewards of God’s creation.
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