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Each year, CRA, of which Sisters of Mercy Parramatta Congregation is a member, creates a prayer service which is prayed in local settings by Religious Congregations, as well as being shared more widely with their associates, parishes and ministries...

Established in 2018, the CRA National Day of Sorrow and Promise stands as a symbol and annual summons to Religious and their associates to keep before them always the painful lessons of the past and to be continually vigilant to the work that is required to ensure the Church is a safe and lifegiving environment for children and vulnerable adults...

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• The prayer resource for the 2025 National Day of Sorrow and Promise can be downloaded here.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors

With this document, signed on 4 October, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope Leo situates himself firmly on the path laid out by his predecessors, including Saint John XXIII, with his appeal, in Mater et Magistra, to wealthier countries not to remain indifferent to nations oppressed by hunger and extreme poverty (83)…

The ‘faces’ of poverty

Pope Leo’s Exhortation offers numerous points for reflection and calls for action in its analysis of the many “faces of the poor and of poverty”, including “the poverty of those who lack material means of subsistence” or “who are socially marginalized and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities” (9).

Pope Leo also notes the existence of moral, spiritual, and cultural poverty; the poverty of “those who have no rights, no space, no freedom” (9).

Inequality and new forms of poverty

Confronted with this reality, Pope Leo says that although “the commitment to the poor and to removing the social and structural causes of poverty has gained importance in recent decades… it remains insufficient” (10).

He warns of the emergence of new, sometimes “more subtle and dangerous” forms of poverty, and decries economic “rules” that increase wealth for a few but also increase inequality (10, 13).

“I can only state once more that inequality ‘is the root of social ills’” (94)

• Read the complete article here
• Read the exhortation in full here

Source: Vatican News

On Wednesday afternoon, 1st October, marking the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical, Laudato Si’, Pope Leo XIV addressed participants in the Raising Hope Conference, organised by the Laudato Si’ Movement.

In his address, the Pope expressed gratitude for the legacy of Pope Francis’ encyclical, noting how its message has inspired schools, dioceses, academic programmes, and international dialogue.

“Its impact,” he said, “has extended to summits, interreligious initiatives, economic and business circles, as well as theological and bioethical studies.” Above all, he noted that the phrase “care for our common home” has become a standard phrase, used in academic work and public discourse across peoples and continents.

A conversion of heart
While recalling the achievements of the past decade, Pope Leo emphasised that the challenges identified in Laudato Si’ are “even more relevant today than they were ten years ago.” These challenges, he said, are not only political and social, but also spiritual, calling for what Pope Francis described as a “conversion of heart.”

The Pope explained that the heart “is where the deepest searching takes place, where one’s ultimate identity is found, and where decisions are forged. It is only by returning to the heart that a true ecological conversion can take place.” This transformation, he continued, means shifting “from collecting data to caring; from environmental discourse to lifestyles inspired by faith and love of God.”

All are one
Quoting Pope Francis’ description of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Holy Father reminded participants that ecological concern, justice for the poor, social commitment, and inner peace are inseparable.

Looking ahead to upcoming global summits, including COP30 and the UN’s 2026 Water Conference, the Pope urged leaders to heed the cries of “the Earth and the poor, families, indigenous peoples, involuntary migrants and believers throughout the world.”

What will be our answer?
Concluding his address, Pope Leo asked the question: “God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that He created, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters. What will be our answer?”

By Francesca Merlo

Source: Vatican News

Watch the broadcast. Pope Leo's address commences at 52:00

At a time marked by conflicts, the Pope recalls that religions must be “bridges and prophecy,” and not “weapons or walls.”

His October prayer intention arrives as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Declaration from the Vatican II Council that transformed the Catholic Church’s relationships with other religions, opening the path to dialogue and collaboration. In a fractured world, the Pope encourages us to be “yeast of unity,” open to recognize that we are “brothers and sisters, called to live, pray, work, and dream together.”

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