Laudato Si’ Movement Celebrates Historic Liturgical Milestone
Press release
Vatican announces new Mass “For the Care of Creation” — Laudato Si’ Movement welcomes the milestone
Rome, Italy — In a groundbreaking announcement, the Vatican has introduced a new Mass “For the Care of Creation” (Missa pro custodia creationis) to be included in the Roman Missal under the section “For Various Needs.” This marks the first time the global Church has formally integrated a liturgical celebration specifically focused on care for creation into its public worship.
The announcement was made today, July 3, during a press conference at the Holy See Press Office by Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Archbishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M., Secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. A recording of the livestream in the original languages of the speakers is here.
Laudato Si’ Movement celebrated the news as a long-awaited milestone in the Church’s ecological conversion, building on the spiritual and moral vision of Laudato Si’ and further reinforcing the call to care for our common home.
“This new Mass is a powerful and timely affirmation of the Church’s deepening commitment to ecological justice,” said Yeb Saño, Chairperson of Laudato Si’ Movement. “It places the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor at the heart of our communal prayer. As people of faith, we are called to respond with urgency, reverence, and hope.”
“This is an important moment in the life of the Church,” said Dr. Lorna Gold, Executive Director of Laudato Si’ Movement.
“For decades, communities around the world have been praying and advocating for the Church to take seriously its role in caring for our common home, also through its liturgical celebrations. This Mass is a call to deeper conversion, a spark for collective prayer, and a beacon of hope in the face of ecological collapse. It will be used widely by communities right across the world, especially during the ecumenical Season of Creation.”
A Timely Message from the Holy Father
This announcement comes just ahead of the 10th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1, 2025, for which His Holiness Pope Leo XIV released a powerful message titled “Seeds of Peace and Hope.” In his reflection, the Pope reminds us:
“In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed, seeds of peace and hope… The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and trust forever” (Is 32:17).
Pope Leo reminds us that caring for creation is not optional, but a duty born of faith. He warns that injustice, war, and ecological destruction are deeply linked, and urges the Church to sow seeds of justice and ecological conversion rooted in the Gospel. When the new Mass for the Care of Creation is celebrated outdoors, it becomes a powerful act of communion—a way to pray with creation, not just for it, and to be immersed in the living world where, as Laudato Si’ says,
“By working with love and perseverance, we can sow many seeds of justice and thus contribute to the growth of peace and the renewal of hope,” the Pope wrote, encouraging communities everywhere to embody the spirit of Laudato Si’ in word and deed.
You can read the full message from Pope Leo XIV here.
The new liturgical celebration is expected to inspire parishes and communities around the world—especially during the Season of Creation (September 1 – October 4)—to deepen their prayer life and strengthen their commitment to caring for our common home. As Pope Leo affirms in his message, the words of the prophet Isaiah will accompany this ecumenical season, reminding us that only through justice, prayer, and concrete action can deserts be transformed into gardens of peace and hope.
Laudato Si’ Movement invites all communities to visit seasonofcreation.org to explore the Celebration Guide, discover practical resources, connect with others, and join in prayer for creation.
Media Contact:
Susana Salguero
Director of Global Communications
Laudato Si’ Movement
(+507) 6090-5032
[email protected]