“We must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the pace of a world that does not know what it is chasing. Rather, we must return to serving the rhythm of life, the harmony of creation and healing its wounds.”
Pope Leo XIV
We are living in the middle of the sixth mass extinction. This is a very real crisis, which has been impacting those in the Global South for decades and is slowly beginning to have repercussions here in England and Wales. We experienced five brutal heatwaves this summer, causing drought in all of Wales and over two-thirds of England. Hundreds of churches and community spaces have been hosting People’s Emergency Briefings, highlighting the urgency of the situation to mobilise national action. This season of creation feels particularly dystopian.
Integral ecology (and thereby the impacts of climate breakdown) is a cross-cutting theme for CSAN – from unbearable working temperatures to the environmental impacts of data centres, and poorly-built homes trapping families with lower income in heat. Laudato Si’ brought this intersectional issue to the fore of the Catholic community in 2015.
Pope Leo’s message for the 2026 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (1 September) reminded us of the ecological and human impacts of war, destroying ecosystem, food security, and exacerbating poverty and inequality.
Theologian Dave Bookless (2008) described the interconnected triangle of relationships that Christians should nurture – with God, with their neighbour, and with the earth. The yearly season of Creation gives us an opportunity to reflect on how effectively and conscientiously we have been cultivating these relationships individually and as part of our church communities.
At the start of the season, I asked some of our members what projects or programmes they have been running which relate to the themes of creation. Now more than ever, it seems important to share stories of hope, countering the fear and anxiety many of us feel.
– Erica Lees-Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Officer
Diocese of Plymouth – shared by Tanya Trevena
At the beginning of 2026 Caritas, the Diocese of Plymouth held an event at Exeter Chaplaincy called Laudato Si’ Day for Creation. This brought together people from across the diocese to look at Catholic Social Teaching on the present climate and nature crisis, and ask: what can we do? It unpacked Integral Ecology and the diocesan property department’s response to these issues, inspiring participants to go back to their own parishes and see what they themselves could do.
From this, a new Laudato Si group has emerged in Exeter’s Sacred Heart church. They meet regularly and explore questions including – how do we inspire everyone to think about the impact of their actions to serve God and His world? They have held screenings of The Letter by Pope Francis and have commissioned a prayer card to mark the Season of Creation.
This Season of Creation also marks the release of a new document by the Diocese of Plymouth capturing their ‘God’s Wild Acre’ project which took place in May during Laudato Si’ week. You can download the document to see a more detailed summary of the project and a poster with ideas for positive ways to care for creation.
They put out an invitation to encourage people to set aside a space – whether it be a patch of garden or a plant pot on a balcony – that could be given back to God. People were invited to send in photographs and measurements to add to the growing total of land given over to God. From backyard patches to church grounds, we received news from across the diocese of the growing wonder at new life discovered in these areas. Some rarities were found and people revelled in the delights of creation bringing excitement and awe to their own vicinity.
In this Jubilee year of St. Francis, his feast day will fall on the last day of the Season of Creation. On Sunday 4 October, many people will reflect on this year’s theme of ‘Living Water’, the encouragement to make bold and generous choices, to live simply and honour the dignity of creation.
To celebrate this day the Growing In Faith Together (GIFT) family group in Exeter and the new Laudato Si group will complement the Sunday Mass with moments to reflect on our ability to bear good fruit and take positive action. Each person will be invited to bring with them a bottle of water and this will be blessed during the Mass so that parishioners can take this with them, to use the water to bless their homes, gardens, families, workspaces and neighbourhoods.
Caritas Nottingham – shared by Paul Bodenham
Climate change is ushering in an era of increased risk for communities all around the world, and sea levels are expected to rise for many decades to come. As the recent upsurge in heatwaves, wildfires and flooding testify, the UK is not exempt. In the Diocese of Nottingham alone, nearly a fifth of its land area is at risk of inundation.
In May 2026 the diocesan Caritas was invited to address the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Resilience Forum (LRF) on ‘Faith Communities Building Resilience’. There is an LRF covering every area of the UK, bring together public services, emergency responders and community groups to build preparedness and coordinate responses to civil contingencies.
As Paul Bodenham explained, the Church’s mission has always been about strengthening social friendship and resilience, advocating for the most vulnerable and providing pastoral care to all. A parish hall and our networks of volunteers can suddenly become essential assets in the event of a local emergency.
The worldwide Caritas network has long worked to build resilience in low-income countries on the front-line of climate change. Now, Caritas Nottingham is finding we in England and Wales have much to learn from them and the communities they serve. With risks from wildfires, heatwaves and flooding on the rise, we are working with several local authorities in England’s East Midlands to ensure that the Church is ready to step up.
Get Involved
If you’re interested in reflecting further on creation and how your diocese can advocate for the environment, you can join the Southern Diocese Environment Network which meets monthly.
You can also follow the work of our friends at the Ecological Conversion Group which centres integral ecology, including their ongoing Jubilee Garden Project.
If you’re a network member who’d like to chat about climate campaigns, feel free to contact me on erica.lees-smith@csan.org.uk.
