Pope Leo XIV blessed a chunk of ice 20,000 years old from a melting glacier in Greenland on the opening day of an international conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ groundbreaking encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.’ The image from the Foculare Centre at Castel Gandolfo near Rome went viral around the world. The pope told an international audience of around 1,000 – that included bishops, religious, lay Catholics, Catholic organisations and Christian environmental activists that, “God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that he created, for the benefit of all and for future generations, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters. What will be our answer?”
Sitting on a stage, decorated with living plants and a background screen with the conference theme of ‘Raising Hope’ and a view of Earth from space, he said, “the challenges identified in Laudato Si’ are in fact even more relevant today than they were 10 years ago” and “these challenges are of a social and political nature, but first and foremost of a spiritual nature: they call for conversion.” He referred to the apostolic exhortation ‘Laudate Deum’, produced by Pope Francis two years ago, which stressed again the urgent call to tackle the climate crisis.
When the Raising Hope conference ended three days later: holy water from the piece of that Arctic ice, blessed by Pope Leo, was shared among participants as a symbol of hope and commitment. As the block of ice slowly melted, we were reminded of the urgency to act on the climate crisis and our shared responsibility to care for creation.
More than a thousand participants from 80 countries came together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the encyclical Laudato Si’, reflecting, praying, and discussing climate justice and the role of faith in ecological transformation. Religious leaders, scientists, activists, and communities shared experiences, challenges, and commitments that are now being transformed into concrete actions. The key organiser was the Laudato Si’ Movement, which has mushroomed since its beginnings in 2015, inspired by Laudato Si.
Columban participants were Amy Echeverria, Columban International Coordinator for Justice, Peace and Ecology, based in the U.S.; Adi Mariana Waqa, Columban Partnership Coordinator in Australia; Ellen Teague of the Columban Justice, Peace and Ecology Team in Britain; and Sr Anne Carbon, Congregational Leader of the Missionary Sisters of St Columban.
Columban involvement with Laudato Si’ and the Laudato Si Movement is significant.
Columban eco-theologian Sean McDonagh was a consulter for the encyclical. Ellen and Australian Columban Charles Rue attended the Paris Climate Talks in 2015 – where the groundbreaking Climate Agreement was forged – and the meeting there of international Catholic groups which stimulated the Global Catholic Climate Movement, now the Laudato Si Movement. Amy has been with the movement since the start, being the founding Board President. Columbans were part of the original foundational group of 17 organizations and 12 individuals.
Lorna Gold, Executive Director of the Laudato Si Movement, suggested that Laudato Si’ transformed the way Catholics and wider society understand our human place in creation, and the Movement, over the past 10 years, has helped “transform a spark into a global flame.” The Columban Missionary Society is still playing its role in that growth, promoting “integral ecology” through its two mission priorities focusing on Biodiversity and Migrants.
Other speakers at the conference – including Marina Silva, Brazil’s minister for climate and environment; Laudato Si’ Movement board chair Yeb Sano; and actor-turned-politican-turned-environmental activist Arnold Schwarzenegger – supported the Pope’s message and all were enthusiastically clapped. After Schwarzenegger described Pope Leo is an “action hero” on the climate action, a smiling Leo affirmed the audience with, “you are the action heroes.”
Pledges made on the third and final day of the conference included promoting the Laudato Si’ Animators Programme and Laudato Si’ Action Platform in their countries; supporting the Jubilee Debt Campaign of Caritas Internationalis; and joining the next international public announcement of divestment from fossil fuels. All pledges will be brought to next month’s COP30 UN climate conference in Brazil by the large delegations of Catholics expected to attend. Pope Leo himself was invited to go by Marina Silva, and according to Lorna Gold, “he didn’t say no, and he didn’t say yes.”
