The Supreme Pontiff Leo XIV has approved and ordered to divulge the form of the Mass for the care of creation ('pro custodia creationis'), with quotations from St. Augustine, Pope Benedict XIV and the encyclical '....Laudato si' of Pope Francis, on the care of the common home, published on May 24, 2015, ten years ago now.
According to the Decree of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, dated June 8, 2025, the Solemnity of Pentecost, Leo XIV, after its approval, "has ordered this form to be promulgated together with the appropriate biblical readings". The Decree is written in Latin, is attached to the text, and "now the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments promulgates it and declares it to be a typical text".
The text is signed by Card. Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery, and the Archbishop Secretary, Monsignor Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M., who spoke this morning at a press conference at the Vatican, together with Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development.
San Agustín, referent
The Decree introduces a biblical quotation and another from the Father of the Church, St. Augustine. "Your works praise you (cf. Pr 31:31; Dn 3:57), so that we love you, and we love you so that your works praise you (Augustine, Confessions, 13:33)".
"The mystery of creation is the beginning of the history of salvation, which culminates in Christ and from the mystery of Christ receives the decisive light; in fact, manifesting his goodness, "in the beginning, God created heaven and earth" (Gen 1:1), since from the beginning he was thinking of the glory of the new creation in Christ," the text continues.
Creation under threat (Pope Francis)
"Sacred Scripture exhorts men to contemplate the mystery of creation and to give unceasing thanks to the Most Holy Trinity for this sign of His benevolence, which, like a precious treasure, must be loved, guarded and, at the same time, promoted and handed down from generation to generation."
At this time, the text continues, citing Pope Francis' encyclical, "it is evident that the work of creation is seriously threatened by the irresponsible use and abuse of the goods that God has entrusted to our care (cf. Laudato si', n. 2)".
For this reason, "it is considered opportune to add to the Missae 'pro variis necessitatibus vel ad diversa' of the Roman Missal the form of the Missa 'pro custodia creationis'".
Benedict XVI: creation tends to divinization
In the Eucharist, "the world, which came from God's hands, returns to him in joyful and full adoration: in the Eucharistic Bread, "creation tends towards divinization, towards the sacred wedding, towards unification with the Creator himself," Benedict XVI pointed out in a homily at the Mass of Corpus Domini, June 15, 2006.
"For this reason, the Eucharist is also a source of light and motivation for our concerns for the environment, and orients us to be stewards of all creation" (Laudato si', n. 236)."
Mass Readings for the Care of Creation
In parallel to the diffusion of the decree, the new form of the Mass for the Care of Creation ('pro custodia creationis') was presented by Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, and Monsignor Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M., O.F.M., mentioned above.
The Mass 'pro custodia creationis' includes precise prayers for the introit, the collect, Communion antiphon, etc., foresees readings from the Book of Wisdom (Sap 13:1-9), from Col 1:15-20, and from Mt 6:24-34 and Mt 8:23-27 for the Gospel.
The new form includes texts from the encyclical 'Laudato si' of Pope Francis, which is not only an ecological encyclical, as has been said, but "an eco-social encyclical," said Archbishop Viola. The archbishop stressed the theological-liturgical dimension of creation, which is reflected in the form. Asked about the authorship, he said that several dicasteries collaborated, but the author is Scripture, the Fathers and Laudato si'".
"Cuiding creation, a matter of faith and humanity".
Yesterday was announced the Message of Pope Leo XIV for the Journey World Prayer for the Care of Creation 2025, which takes place on September 1.
In his words, the Pontiff recalled the need for words to be turned into deeds, for urgent action for environmental justice. In a world where the most fragile are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, caring for creation becomes a matter of faith and humanity, the Pope said.
Environmental justice is no longer an abstract concept or a distant goal, but an urgent need that goes beyond simple environmental protection, the Pope adds. In fact, it concerns social, economic and anthropological justice: "For believers, moreover, it is a theological necessity, which for Christians has the face of Jesus Christ, in whom everything was created and redeemed. In a world where the most fragile are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution, care for creation becomes a matter of faith and humanity".
Leo XIV recalled the 'Borgo Laudato si' project at Castel Gandolfo as "an example of how to live, work and build community by applying the principles of the encyclical. Laudato si'".
The hope is that Pope Francis' encyclical will continue to be a source of inspiration so that "integral ecology will be more and more chosen and shared as a path to follow", and to multiply seeds of hope to "guard and cultivate".
