Asian Catholic church leaders’ pilgrimage of hope for our common home

Many Philippine-based civil society organizations echo and celebrate the manifestation of hope in the “Pastoral Letter to the Local Churches in Asia on the Care of Creation: A Call to Ecological Conversion” issued by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).

On behalf of the FABC, three leaders signed this document on March 15, 2025. Vice President Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David (incumbent president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines) was among the signatories. We thank Cardinal Ambo David and other church leaders in the FABC for this important and timely pastoral statement issued on the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si: On the Care of Our Common Home” during this Jubilee Year of Hope.

This FABC pastoral letter summarizes the key afflictions of our common home concerning: deforestation and biodiversity loss; rising sea levels and coastal displacement; water security, air pollution, and health impacts; stronger and more frequent extreme weather events; and agricultural crises and food security.

This pastoral letter identified the “signs of hope” about the Holy Spirit’s continuing inspiration through the following realities: community resilience of local communities and indigenous peoples, flourishing of ecological ministries and education, more active youth engagement, increasing interfaith and civil society collaboration in shared advocacy for care of our common home, transformation of mission for Basic Ecclesial Communities with inclusion of stewardship for creation, and the Church’s commitment in the Jubilee Year, with care of creation as one of its major themes.

The pastoral letter outlined concrete steps for action to address the ecological crisis through mitigation, adaptation, legislation, and finance—1) advocating for stronger climate commitments to bridge the gap between national climate targets and the 1.5 degrees Celsius global goal; 2) pushing for more funding allotted for adaptation and loss and damage; 3) lobbying for national and international legislation in defense of ecology; and 4) clamoring for climate financing and debt relief.

The FABC statement also encouraged local churches in Asia to participate in the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties to be held in Belem, Brazil this year.

In view of the 10th anniversary of ”Laudato Si” and the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, the FABC also invited local churches in the region to further animate the celebration of the Season of Creation from Sept. 1 (Feast of the Act of Creation in many Oriental Churches) to Oct. 4 (Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Ecology) by: a) educating our communities about ecological responsibility; b) promoting simpler, more sustainable lifestyles; c) nurturing a spirituality of creation that deepens our relationship with God, humanity, and the cosmos.

The FABC letter expressed hope that this Lenten Season will be a period for ecological conversion—reflecting on our conscience and being sorry for sins against God’s creation.

As a corporal work of mercy, care for our common home requires “simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation, and selfishness” and “makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world.”

PATRIA GWEN M.L. BORCENA,
executive director,
Greenresearch Environmental Research Group, Inc.