10 Years of Laudato Si’

As the Church in Asia prepares for a pivotal moment, the "Great Pilgrimage of Hope" (GPH) in Penang, Malaysia, from November 27–30, 2025, we are invited to see this journey not just as a gathering, but as a formal commitment of our faith to the future of our shared continent.

In a creative effort to protect the environment and raise public awareness, members of the Tamil Nadu AICUF, together with various Religious Congregations in Tamil Nadu, South India, will embark on a historic cycling awareness journey from Kanyakumari to Chennai from November 5 to 20, 2025.

In a remarkable gesture of solidarity, Auxiliary Bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, South India, joined the parishioners of Our Lady–Mother of the Poor Church, Tilamola, Goa, in harvesting paddy with a sickle in hand on October 14, turning an ordinary day into a profound spiritual experience.

Education is essential for this conversion. Schools, parishes, and families must teach young people to see creation as God’s gift.

Fr. Ismartono, SJ, explained, “Laudato Si’ has been widely recognized, even by many from the Muslim community, as one of the Church’s brightest contributions to the world, inspiring humanity to respond and act to prevent the destruction of our planet.”

Education is more than a process of transmitting knowledge, it is a pilgrimage of hope. For students, especially in today’s rapidly changing world, education becomes not only a path to personal growth but also a sacred journey of discovering meaning, resilience, and purpose.

In Malaysia, caring for creation has become more than a moral choice; it is now a living expression of faith. Across dioceses, Catholic communities are translating Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’ into daily acts of stewardship, integrating ecological awareness into prayer, education, and parish life.

The virtual discussion, jointly organized by Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), the Laudato Si’ Movement – Asia Pacific and the FABC Office of Human Development, will be held on October 30, 2025, at 2:30 PM (India) / 5:00 PM (Manila) via Zoom.

“God gave me this gift that can communicate the issue; I have the will, and I can see it, and I will do everything that I can to make this a better world,” said Mr. Schwarzenegger.

“My Franciscan Superior asked me, ‘Are you willing to go to Jakarta?’ I immediately replied, ‘With great pleasure,’” recalls the priest, now one of Indonesia’s most respected biblical scholars.

The theme "Pilgrims of Hope for Creation" calls us to act with humility and purpose for our common home.

On October 4, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. He prayed: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” Today, this prayer also calls us to make peace with creation.

St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, in collaboration with the Churachandpur Forest Division, organized an Essay Writing and Painting Competition to mark Wildlife Week 2025.

The spiritual legacy of Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ continues to take root and flourish across Indonesia. The call to care for the earth as our common home is being embraced by Catholic grassroots communities, including St. Helena Parish in Curug, Tangerang Regency, Banten Province.

Some plant trees, others take recycling seriously, while many embrace simpler lifestyles in solidarity with the earth. For Malaysian artist Christine Das, the response took an unexpected path; her brush became her voice, and her canvas a witness.

During the Season of Creation, celebrated in the Church from September 1 to October 4, we are encouraged not only to pray for creation but also to pray with creation.

The theme for the Season of Creation 2025 is “Peace with Creation.” It invites reflection on the ecological challenges facing the planet and calls for renewed commitment to justice, sustainability, and spiritual renewal.

Caritas Chattogram Region commemorated the Season of Creation with a meaningful and prayerful gathering at its regional conference hall, underscoring the urgent need to protect the environment and foster peace with nature on September 14.

Pope Leo XIV has called on newly appointed bishops to confront clergy misconduct with courage and transparency, while rooting their ministry in synodality, dialogue, and closeness to the faithful.

The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) brought its 150th Jubilee to a close in Rome with a series of events that wove together memory, gratitude, intercultural fraternity, and a renewed commitment to mission and creation.