The Mass for the Care of Creation: A Call to Faithful Stewardship
In every Mass, the bread and wine—fruits of the earth and human work—become the Body of Christ, healing our broken relationship with the God our Creator, with one another, and with creation itself.
DAY AND NIGHT — THE WHOLE OF CREATION
“It is in the Eucharist that all that has been created finds its greatest exaltation… The world which came forth from God’s hands returns to him in blessed and undivided adoration.”
LAUDATO SI’, 236
To continue walking the path of ecological conversion, the Church offers us a new gift: the Mass for the Care of Creation (Missa pro custodia creationis).
Amid the urgency of the ecological crisis, this Mass opens our hearts to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor. We recover our sense of wonder, repent for ecological sins, and ask God for the ability to care for creation.
Our journey of ecological spirituality finds its source and summit in the Eucharist (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10). Only by encountering Christ is true conversion possible.
This liturgical formulary is a source of great joy for the Laudato Si’ Movement, sustaining our mission as we journey through the Season of Creation (September 1 – October 4) and throughout the year. It is a call to unite our prayer with action, letting the Eucharist transform us into faithful stewards of our common home.
The Church’s Liturgical Response to the Cry of the Earth
In 2025, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, with the approval of Pope Leo XIV, promulgated the “Mass for the Care of Creation”.
As stated in the official Decree:
“At this time it is evident that the work of creation is seriously threatened because of the irresponsible use and abuse of the goods God has endowed to our care (cf. n. 2). This is why it is considered appropriate to add a Mass formulary ‘pro custodia creationis’ to the Missae “pro variis necessitatibus vel ad diversa” of the Roman Missal.”
Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments
This new mass helps us to love, cherish, and protect creation as a precious treasure handed down from generation to generation.
The Official Prayers & Biblical Readings
NOTE
The texts below are the official “working translations” provided by the Holy See in July 2025. While these serve as the universal reference, please note that local Episcopal Conferences are responsible for preparing and approving the final vernacular versions for liturgical use in each region. We encourage you to check if your local Conference has published a translated version.
September 1 – October 4
Celebrate During the Season of Creation
While this Mass is a gift for the whole year (as a Mass for Various Needs), the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and Season of Creation (September 1 – October 4) is a privileged time to celebrate it in unity with the universal Church and our ecumenical sisters and brothers. Make this Season count by placing the Eucharist at its center.
Other ways to prepare your heart and enrich your celebration.
Rite of Sending for Laudato Si’ Animators and integral ecology pastoral agents.
A special prayer for sending forth pastoral agents and animators.
Ecological Examen.
A tool to deepen the call to care for creation and the most vulnerable
Suggestions to bring creation into your liturgy
Begin with a reading from Pope’s Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
Prepare the liturgical space to include the Season of Creation theme and symbol. Find more in the Celebration Guide.
For the Offertory, offer items from nature (such as flowers, fruits, seeds, or water) alongside the bread and wine. Use Creation-themed hymns throughout the liturgy.
During the Penitential Act, include a moment of lament for the destruction of God’s creation and repentance for “ecological sins” (Laudato Si’, 8).
From Liturgy to Action
The Eucharist sends us forth. As Laudato Si’ reminds us, care for creation is essential to our faith. Let the grace you receive at Mass transform into concrete action for our common home.
Join the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and commit to a new step of ecological conversion.
