The push for integral ecology is gaining traction in the ecclesial and social spheres with the publication of a manifesto by the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) and the message from the Spanish bishops for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Both initiatives, inspired by Laudato si' , advocate for a perspective that intertwines socio-environmental justice, peace, and care for our common home.
In this context, the “Peace with Creation” proposal and the Season of Creation call on communities and entities to move from ideas to concrete practices: from an integral ecological conversion to lifestyle changes , including education, agroecology and commitment to the most vulnerable territories.
Keys to the Manifesto for an Integral Ecology
The Special Commission for Integral Ecology and Mining Activity of the CNBB has disseminated the “Manifesto for an Integral Ecology”, a text rooted in the Christian spirituality of Latin America that rejects the false solutions that disguise unjust realities in green and denounces the predatory logic of extractivism, the financialization of nature and certain energy transitions that end up sacrificing vulnerable peoples and ecosystems.
Far from remaining in criticism, the document presents itself as an announcement of hope : it vindicates the testimony of the martyrs of ecology, the resistance of native peoples and traditional communities, the practice of agroecology , joyful sobriety and a spirituality that recognizes the interdependence of all creation.
Available in Portuguese, Spanish and English, the Manifesto is offered “at the service” of communities, dioceses and organizations that seek to live the care of creation in depth , and is framed within the synodal path and the preparation for major ecclesial and environmental milestones, with an eye also on spaces such as COP30.
Figures like Leonardo Boff have described the current crisis as a “ war against Mother Earth ,” pointing to the urgency of overcoming the logic of unlimited growth; meanwhile, theologians and thinkers like Moema Miranda emphasize that this narrative seeks a shared horizon with social movements and international organizations, beyond the strictly ecclesial sphere.
Networks like Iglesias y Minería emphasize socio-environmental justice and the value of the spiritualities of indigenous peoples —with Buen Vivir as inspiration—, and encourage the promotion of reforms such as agroecology , agrarian reform and a structural change of the energy model so that it is no longer subject to the logic of the market.
The Manifesto draws from Laudato si' and proposes an integral ecological conversion that links faith, social justice and defense of the environment ; a path that aims to translate into community, liturgical, educational and economic practices aligned with human dignity and the effective care of the Common Home.
Ecological Justice, Debt, and Peace: The Episcopal Emphasis
In Spain, the message “ Seeds of Peace and Hope in Our Common Home ” from the Episcopal Subcommittee for Charitable and Social Action positions integral ecology as the path to linking justice and peace , drawing inspiration from Scripture and recent teaching. The central idea: there will be no lasting peace without effective justice, nor with nature under attack.
The bishops denounce the “ ecological debt ” accumulated by the most industrialized countries and call for a profound reform of the international financial architecture. They propose that aid replace the loans that are suffocating the poorest, in a gesture that goes beyond mere magnanimity and embraces restorative justice as its guiding principle.
The message, aligned with the Jubilee Year, recalls the biblical tradition of debt forgiveness as an opportunity for “a new beginning,” and calls on the Global North to recognize the ecological credit of the Global South. Social and environmental peace, they maintain, demands courageous economic decisions and the protection of the most vulnerable.
Three “seeds” of peace are proposed: ending violence and war , adopting sober and supportive lifestyles , and rebuilding trust by walking together in a spirit of synodality. In this way, a renewed alliance between humanity and creation is sought, one that makes God's touch visible in history.
The text —signed by various prelates, including those responsible for Barcelona, Pamplona, Cordoba, Ibiza, Ciudad Real and the auxiliary bishops of Barcelona and Madrid— emphasizes that environmental justice is now a concrete urgency, and not an abstract horizon, because it affects first those who have contributed least to the climate crisis.
To accompany the process, liturgical materials and pastoral proposals are offered on the occasion of the Day of September 1 and the period that extends until October 4, the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology, so that parishes and dioceses can integrate integral ecology into their daily life.
Initiatives and agenda of the Season of Creation
Beyond the documents, concrete actions are being promoted during the Season of Creation to put this vision into practice. These include a Day of Ecofeminism and Spirituality, with spaces for reflection on eco-justice and eco-social transition in the morning and afternoon (September 13), and a talk on “seeing God in creation” inspired by Teilhard de Chardin (September 17) at a cultural center.
Pedagogy also involves stable projects such as Borgo Laudato si' in Castel Gandolfo, conceived as a training environment where principles of integral ecology are applied : agricultural areas, gardens, learning spaces and proposals for ecological and regenerative agriculture , all aimed at living, working and building community with less impact.
In parallel, communities and movements are strengthening agroecology practices , responsible consumption, and support for populations affected by extractivism, with a focus on a transformation that achieves social, economic, and environmental justice, and includes listening to the territories.
This underlying movement—which integrates denunciation, hope, and action—articulates faith and justice with concrete proposals: from the CNBB manifesto to calls to forgive the ecological debt and change lifestyles, including educational agendas and celebrations that encourage responsible care for our Common Home.
