Caring for our common home: A call to conversion and communion

In 2015, the Vatican established the Season of Creation from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, dedicating this time to prayer and action for the environment. In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis urgently calls us to care for our common home, reminding us that the Earth “now cries out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her.” This cry echoes deeply in our hearts as Missionaries of the Precious Blood and in our charism, which calls us to be ministers of reconciliation — restoring right relationships not only among people but with all creation. 

The encyclical offers a profound vision rooted in ecological conversion, where we come to see the world as God sees it, as a gift, interconnected and sacred. Pope Francis reminds us that the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor are one and the same. 

Environmental destruction disproportionately impacts the marginalized, and any response to ecological crisis must be grounded in justice, solidarity, and love. Our Precious Blood spirituality emphasizes the power of Christ’s redeeming blood to reconcile and renew all things. In this vision, creation is not a commodity to be exploited but a covenant to be protected. As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to reflect God’s love through responsible living, care for ecosystems, and advocacy for policies that uphold the dignity of both human and natural life. 

This mission requires more than superficial change; it demands a transformation of hearts and systems. The call to “ecological conversion” is a call to live more simply, to recognize the interconnectedness of all life, and to challenge the structures of greed and indifference. It means making choices that reflect our responsibility to future generations, whether in how we can consume, travel, or engage in community. 

Community is at the heart of this vision. Just as we Precious Blood Missionaries live and work in solidarity with the people we serve, so too are all people invited into a shared mission to restore harmony with creation. 

In the spirit of Laudato Si’ and in our charism as Precious Blood Missionaries, we are called to be witnesses of hope — believing that change is possible, and that every act of care, no matter how small, participates in God’s ongoing work of redemption. Let us embrace this sacred task to care for our common home, with courage, compassion, and deep faith. 

Gabino Zavala, Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Director