Historic First: Catholic Church Worldwide Celebrates Mass for the Care of Creation
Benin City, Edo State— September 1, 2025.| Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos
Today, the Catholic Church joined Christians across the globe in marking the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, opening the annual Season of Creation that stretches from September 1 to October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. For the first time in history, parishes worldwide celebrated a newly approved “Mass for the Care of Creation,” giving liturgical expression to the Church’s call for ecological conversion.
At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass, urging Catholics to become “seeds of peace and hope” in a world threatened by ecological degradation and violent conflict. His message for this year’s observance ties creation care directly to the Church’s Jubilee theme, Pilgrims of Hope, underscoring that safeguarding the planet is inseparable from safeguarding humanity.
The highlight of this year’s celebration is the introduction of a new liturgical formulary dedicated to creation. First celebrated publicly by Pope Leo XIV at Castel Gandolfo in July, the Mass is now available to every parish around the world. Liturgists describe the development as “groundbreaking,” since it embeds environmental concern not merely in Church teaching or parish projects but in the very sacramental heart of Catholic worship.
This observance builds on a legacy stretching back decades. The Orthodox Church first established Creation Day in 1989 under Patriarch Dimitrios I, and Pope Francis officially introduced it into Catholic life in 2015, following the release of his encyclical Laudato Si’. That encyclical, together with Laudate Deum (2023), provided a theological and moral framework linking climate change to poverty, injustice, and the exploitation of the vulnerable.
The Season of Creation has since grown into an ecumenical movement uniting Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, and Protestant communities in prayer, education, and grassroots action. This year’s theme, “Seeds of Peace and Hope,” emphasizes reconciliation with creation and solidarity with Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities most affected by ecological crises.
The Holy See is pairing prayer with bold environmental initiatives. In August, the Italian government approved plans for a 430-hectare solar farm at Santa Maria di Galeria, designed to make the Vatican the world’s first carbon-neutral state. Meanwhile, Castel Gandolfo has been designated the site of the Borgo Laudato Si’ project, envisioned as a “living laboratory” of sustainable agriculture, ecological education, and community life.
Church leaders stress that today’s observance is more than symbolic. With the world preparing for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, this November, Catholic leaders are calling for stronger commitments from governments to cut emissions and protect biodiversity. “The cry of the earth is the cry of the poor,” the Pope reminded the faithful, echoing one of the defining lines of Laudato Si’.
From cathedral cities to remote villages, Catholics marked the day with tree-planting ceremonies, river clean-ups, and advocacy campaigns tied to Catholic Social Teaching. Bishops’ conferences encouraged schools and parishes to integrate creation-focused prayers, catechesis, and civic action throughout the month.
In Africa, Latin America, and Asia—regions most vulnerable to climate shocks—parishes combined the Mass with practical actions: solar installations on parish grounds, sustainable farming workshops, and campaigns against illegal mining and deforestation.
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is not only about the environment; it is about faith, justice, and the future of humanity. By elevating creation care into the liturgy itself, the Church signals that ecological responsibility is not optional but integral to Christian discipleship.
As Pope Leo XIV declared at the close of today’s liturgy: “The Mass for the Care of Creation is not just a prayer for the world we inhabit. It is a covenant—a pledge before God to walk gently, act justly, and sow hope for generations yet unborn.”
Fr. Dr. Okhueleigbe Osemhantie Ãmos is a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Uromi and a Lecturer at CIWA, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
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