Pope Leo XIV to lead Laudato Si’ climate conference and urges La Civiltà Cattolica to inspire hope, educate, and amplify the marginalized in its 175th year.
Newsroom (25/09/2025, Gaudium Press ) On October 1, Pope Leo XIV will participate in the international conference “Raising Hope for Climate Justice” at the Focolare Movement’s Mariapoli Center in Castel Gandolfo, marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for creation, Laudato Si’. The event, organized by the Laudato Si’ Movement in collaboration with ecclesial and institutional partners, will run until October 3 and bring together over 400 religious leaders, climate experts, civil society representatives, and global institutions to chart the path for ecological conversion in line with Church teachings.
On Wednesday afternoon, Pope Leo XIV will preside over the “Celebration of Hope,” featuring testimonies from prominent figures such as Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a longtime advocate for environmental protection. Following his address, the Pope will lead a symbolic and spiritual moment of collective commitment and meet with a group of conference participants. The subsequent days, October 2 and 3, will include working sessions, roundtables, and spiritual reflections aimed at advancing the Church’s ecological mission.
Pope Leo XIV Calls La Civiltà Cattolica to Be a Beacon of Hope
In a separate address to the editorial staff of La Civiltà Cattolica on the occasion of its 175th anniversary, Pope Leo XIV urged the historic Jesuit journal to transmit hope rooted in Christian faith. Founded on April 6, 1850, by Blessed Pope Pius IX, La Civiltà Cattolica is one of the oldest continuously published magazines, renowned for interpreting history, politics, culture, science, and art through the lens of Christian faith and in alignment with the Holy See.
Reflecting on the journal’s role in a world often marked by challenges to hope, Pope Leo invoked the words of Pope Benedict XVI from his 2007 encyclical Spe Salvi: “My life and the history of the world are not left to chance. Providence does not cease.” He emphasized that, despite failures and “shipwrecks,” God’s love provides an unshakable foundation for hope.
Gratitude for Faithful Service
The Holy Father expressed gratitude for La Civiltà Cattolica’s centuries of service to the Church, describing it as “a window on the world” that fearlessly engages with contemporary issues. “Your work has contributed—and continues to contribute—to making the Church present in the world of culture, in harmony with the teachings of the Pope and the orientations of the Holy See,” he said.
A Mission to Educate, Amplify, and Inspire
Pope Leo outlined three key responsibilities for the journal: educating readers for intelligent and active engagement in society, amplifying the voices of the poor and excluded, and serving as heralds of hope. On education, he noted that the journal’s work helps readers navigate complex societal issues, fostering contributions to social equity, family, education, technological change, and peace.
On giving voice to the marginalized, Pope Leo called it “a fundamental aspect of the life and mission of every Christian,” echoing Pope Francis’ call to remember the “discarded.” He urged the journal to listen humbly and remain close to those who suffer, breaking cycles of isolation and indifference.
Finally, the Pope reaffirmed that hope, rooted in Christ—“the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6)—must guide the journal’s mission. He recalled Pope Francis’ guidance to the journal to practice “good journalism” with “Christ’s gaze on the world,” a mission Pope Leo described as perceiving, cultivating, and bearing witness to that gaze.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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