From 24 to 31 May, 2025, the global Church celebrates a week-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, marking the start of the “Laudato Si’ Week for the Care of Creation.”
By Kyoung Ho Han *
In Korea, this occasion was particularly commemorated through a Mass and street march organized by the Committee for Ecology and Environment of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, in collaboration with the Consolata missionaries JPIC and religious congregations and lay JPIC (Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation) groups.
The one-hour march through downtown Seoul streets was far more than a symbolic gesture, it was a prophetic cry in the face of an urgent ecological crisis. Slogans such as “The Earth is sick!”, “Carbon neutrality live it, don’t just say it!”, and “Let’s protect creation together!” reflected the Church’s voice in the world today. The spirit of this 10th anniversary lies in this “faith in action.”
The Mass that followed was not just a thanksgiving ceremony. It was a time of ecological repentance, a recommitment to harmony with creation. In the homily, the Pope’s teachings were recalled: the root of the ecological crisis is not merely technological, but lies in human greed, indifference, and a consumerist lifestyle.
“Everything is connected”
This simple yet profound truth runs throughout Laudato Si’. Humanity and nature, economics and ethics, local and global concerns, the present and the future, they are all intertwined. This march and Mass were a gesture of re-connection, a profession of faith that we are called to live as one with all of God’s creatures, our brothers and sisters in the common home.
Words are no longer enough. The Church and all the faithful are now called to act, by saving energy, recycling, protecting local ecosystems, and living ecological spirituality in everyday life. These small choices are tangible expressions of our love for God and our commitment to the Gospel of creation.
This week is more than a numerical milestone. It is an invitation to inner conversion and a new beginning. “What kind of world will we leave to our children?” Before this urgent question, may the Catholic Church in Korea continue to respond with concrete hope and faithful action.
* Father Kyoung Ho Han, IMC, member of the National Reconciliation Commission.
