By Sarah Kirikumwino | Laudato Si Clubs President | October 03, 2025 | Laudato Si’ — Praise be to You, O Lord.

A sacred call to action was witnessed yesterday as people of faith gathered to mark the end of the Season of Creation, while also celebrating the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. This was no ordinary event it was a beautiful interfaith celebration, uniting believers from different religious traditions with one shared intention: to care for our common home.

We gathered not as strangers of different creeds, but as neighbours and co-stewards of creation, united by a spirit of peace, love, and shared responsibility. This year’s Season of Creation theme, “Peace with Creation,” deeply resonated throughout the gathering, as we acknowledged the urgent need to make peace with God, with nature, and with one another. In a time when division seems to grow, this gathering was a powerful testament to unity, love, and common purpose.

Faith as a Foundation for Integral Ecology

At the heart of the conversation was one key question:

How can we engrain our faith values to lead us to embrace integral ecology?

As the Laudato Youth Initiative has always emphasized, the Church has a vital role in promoting integral ecology. Through our baptism and formation, we are called to be stewards of the Earth, not as an optional mission, but as a sacred duty. We encourage believers to mark important feast days and liturgical moments with ecological actions, planting trees, organizing creation masses, or launching environmental campaigns within communities. These acts go beyond symbolism; they are statements of faith in action.

Church leaders, too, hold the moral and spiritual authority to influence hearts and policies alike. We believe that places of worship can host demonstration gardens or model farms, turning sermons into living testimony. These become not just sites of charity, but hubs of climate education and ecological justice. In these spaces, the Gospel and the environment meet, not in theory, but in practice.

The Role of Families and the Power of Young People

Parents and guardians have a special role in shaping a new climate-conscious generation. As those who raise and nurture children, they must become aware of the climate crisis we are facing and act as role models for ecological responsibility. At the interfaith conference, I delivered a message as Club President, calling on young people to prioritize climate action in their schools, homes, and communities. “This is not a choice,” I reminded them. “Climate action is a moral responsibility.” I encouraged youth to use their talents, whether in music, poetry, art, or leadership as tools for climate advocacy and awareness. We believe that talent is a gift, and when expressed with purpose, it becomes a force for change. Whether through song, dance, or dialogue, young people must lead the way in creating a generation that is fully aware of the environment around them, and willing to protect it.

 Climate and Mental Health: A Silent Crisis

We cannot ignore the hidden toll of the climate crisis especially on mental health. Many young people are facing eco-anxiety, fear, and hopelessness as they witness environmental destruction. The Laudato Youth Initiative recognizes the need to not only empower youth with knowledge and tools, but to protect them from the emotional and psychological burden caused by this broken relationship with the Earth. We believe that ecological action is also healing work for the planet and for our spirits. When we care for the Earth, we also care for ourselves and each other. This is why integral ecology is not just an environmental approach; it is a holistic vision of justice, peace, and healing.

A Moral Response to a Global Cry

We must not delay. The Earth is crying, and this crisis knows no boundaries. It respects no religion, age, or status. But we as people of faith have the moral response-ability to close the gap that has grown between humanity and creation.

This is a debt we owe, and we must begin to repay it not just with words, but with action.

“Peace with Creation” is not a slogan. It is a necessity. Biodiversity continues to suffer because of our disconnection, our selfishness, and our failure to love our neighbors as ourselves. We must put down the tools of harm, and instead, pick up tools of peace tools like dialogue, reforestation, clean energy, climate education, and prayer. Let us use our faith, not as a reason to divide, but as a sacred bridge that unites us in this shared mission: To give hope, share God’s love, unite the human family for peaceful co existence to renew the face of the Earth so that we can all say Laudato Si’ — Praise be to You, O Lord. A gift Pope Francis left for us on the pilgrimage journey of hope. 1o years ago with Laudato Si, 800 the canticle of creation by St. Francis of Assisi we can only sing. Make us a channel of your peace.