Laudato Si Voices | Pastoral Care in Schools and Universities | October 22 to 23, 2026
Speaking at the International Congress for Pastoral Care in Schools and Universities, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholic educational institutions to help young people feel encouraged, seen, and loved so they can help build a better world. Laudato Youth Initiative takes this seriously, as it is one of the foundational elements it fosters to help young people in those particular institutions uplift their voices on matters of their welfare, faith, and future, guided by the Catholic Social Teachings and the guidance of the Church
Organized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the congress took place at the Vatican from October 22 to 23. Pope Leo XIV called on Catholic schools and Universities to help young people become protagonists of a new way of inhabiting the world, building fraternity and working toward a more just society.
Similarly, through the Laudato Youth Initiative, we encourage young people to become protagonists of their own stories: to listen, engage in dialogue, and take action under the guidance of their mentors as stewards of the future and caretakers of God’s Creation, knowing that we are all connected, and that we are dependent on one another and that “Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed.
Catholic Schools and Universities should feel like a home for Students
The Holy Father also invited Catholic schools and universities to become a ‘home’ for students, a place where “they are expected and welcomed, and where someone who looks you in the eye, remembers your name, notices your absence, and rejoices when you return.” He urged Catholic universities to help students understand and find meaning in reality and join in the “shared pursuit of truth.”
He also drew attention to the difficult circumstances facing many students. Despite their “enthusiasm, generosity, and spirit of service,” they “experience forms of existential distress,” including “wounded families, digital loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, or fear in the face of a future that seems uncertain.”
As an initiative that works with young people, we have learned how much these issues affect young people’s mental health, and we believe we need to accompany them to help them make good choices and amplify their voices to build resilience and opens opportunities for growth.
In Uganda today, climate change and poverty, linked to high unemployment, are among the causes of distress we have seen affecting young people. Working with young people in Laudato Si Clubs, we see their desire and willingness to engage in skill-building activities that help address the challenges in their communities and families. Schools must become homes and provide safe spaces for these young people to thrive and be heard.
Institutions to embrace traditional skill trades in handcraft and creative eco skill sets
The Holy Father’s message is a timely reminder to recognize and respond to young people’s needs, with faith and action. A listening ear, time for dialogue, and accompaniment that fosters fruitful action. After listening to young people, Integral Ecology has stood out as key for us, and the new education system must challenge institutions to embrace traditional skill trades in handcraft and creative eco skill sets, using raw materials that are by-products of pollution. Some of our Laudato Si clubs are making beautiful products from plastic, cloth, and paper waste, and we are encouraging them to translate these skills into future entrepreneurial skills for sustainability, or advance them in higher-institution courses.
The informal sector in Uganda is the industrial revolution of our time. Youth need to engage in skill trades at the institutional level to help them fight poverty and shift mindset toward strong craftsmanship skills. The new Ugandan Curriculum offers such opportunities that Catholic Schools and other institutions of learning need to embrace. It doesn’t matter what course young people in schools need to be taught: their role in caring for the environment and proper use of resources, conserving forests, and reflecting on the root causes of climate change and how it affects the sustainable use of natural resources.
This year, the Laudato Si’ Green Festivals were attended by more than 3000 young peopl reflecting on the theme, “Environmental Conservation for Peace and Sustainable Development,” to raise awareness and empower young people to use resources prudently. Many have expressed, in their voices and through their writing, the impact of Climate Change and how it worries them because of the danger it poses to their future, knowing it’s everyone’s responsibility to care for the environment, both physical and mental.
Educating the heart
Lastly, Pope Leo highlighted that pastoral care in schools and universities will be “all the more fruitful the more it focuses on educating the heart.” He also urged school and university pastoral ministries to accompany the slow germination of thought, teaching young people to discern and seek with perseverance. May this message continue to linger in our hearts and in the hearts of institution owners, so they care not only about the papers they will give students but also about the values and character they are teaching them.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by reading our Laudato Si Voices Magazine. Just click here
