On the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, on September 1 at 6:30 p.m., the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and the Laudato si’ Centre for Higher Education are jointly promoting the celebration of Holy Mass for the Care of Creation, which will be presided over by the Holy Father, Leo XIV, in the Garden of “Little Madonna”, in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo.

The Eucharistic celebration, the heart of Christian life, invites us to renew our way of looking at Creation.

“Celebrating the Eucharist around an altar in a garden helps us remember that all creation is a gift, and that every gift generates a responsibility. Faith teaches us to recognize in our common home not mainly a resource to make use of, but a gift to welcome with gratitude and care for with love. In the Mass, our thanksgiving to God also becomes a commitment: caring for creation means caring for life, for people, especially the
vulnerable, and for the future generations,” says His Eminence Cardinal Michael Czerny sj, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

“For the Church, caring for Creation and promoting human dignity are two sides of the same mission, deeply rooted in the Christian faith. We believe that God created the world and the human family out of love and that, precisely out of love, He entrusted us with the care of our brothers and sisters and the stewardship of Creation. Caring for our Common Home means loving our neighbour, especially those who suffer most from the consequences of environmental degradation, poverty, the climate crisis, and conflict. Faith reminds us that we cannot love God without caring for what He has created and for those whom He has entrusted to our care,” emphasizes His Eminence Cardinal Fabio Baggio cs, Director General of the Laudato si’ Centre for Higher Education.

September 1 also marks each year the beginning of the Season of Creation, the ecumenical season of prayer and commitment to the care of our Common Home, which concludes on October 4, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, marking the 800th anniversary of his death. It is a time when the Church, together with other Christian communities, is invited to renew its commitment to Creation, allowing itself to be guided by prayer, conversion, and concrete acts of care.

This year, the Holy Father’s Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation highlights the profound connection between peace, care for Creation, and human dignity, calling us to direct resources toward life, development, and sustainability rather than toward violence and destruction.

For the Eucharistic celebration on September 1, the “Mass for the Care of Creation” will be used. This liturgical formulary is the fruit of a shared process involving involving the Dicasteries for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, for the Doctrine of the Faith, for Promoting Christian Unity and for Promoting Integral Human Development.

The celebration will also be attended by officials of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, staff members of the Laudato si’ Centre for Higher Education, as well as collaborators and supporters of Borgo Laudato Si’.

The Mass will be broadcast live on Vatican News.