Results
Siena College
10/10/2025 | News release | Archived content
Raising Hope for Climate Justice
Oct 10, 2025
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email
The leader of Siena's Laudato Sí Center for Integral Ecology took part in a historic climate conference that teed up strategy and talking points for a crucial upcoming United Nations gathering.
Br. Michael Perry, O.F.M., attended the international "Raising Hope for Climate Justice" conference held October 1-3 near Rome to mark the 10th anniversary of the Laudato Sí encyclical and to foster a global response to the climate and ecological crisis from the perspectives of faith, politics, and civil society.
The event featured Pope Leo XIV, Brazil's Environment Minister Marina Silva and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with bishops, international agency officials, indigenous leaders, climate and biodiversity experts, and civil society representatives.
The conference included keynotes, panel discussions, prayer, and cultural events that highlighted both the progress made since Laudato Sí was issued in 2015, and the urgent steps needed ahead of the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP30) to be held November 10-21 in Brazil.
"I was amazed by the energy and deep commitment of people from different faith traditions, national identities, and representatives from indigenous communities in the Global South suffering the greatest from global warming," said Br. Michael."Young climate justice activists reminded us their future is at stake while Pope Leo and Arnold Schwarzenegger challenged us to act now on behalf of the poor and the planet. The Pope made clear that love of God and love for all that God has created must be intimately linked."
Pope Leo said that Laudato Sí has "greatly inspired the Catholic Church and many people of goodwill.
"It has proven to be a source of dialogue. It has given rise to reflection groups, academic programs in schools and universities, and partnerships and projects of various kinds on every continent," he said in a statement released October 1."Many dioceses and religious institutes have been moved to take action to care for our common home, helping once more to give priority to the poor and marginalized in the process."
The conference had special resonance for the Franciscan community: 2025 is the 800-year anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi's theological vision of creation and one of his most well-known writings.
Siena University's own contribution to the ongoing public examination of climate change issues will be held next semester: "Reimagining Economy: For People and Planet" the second annual symposium hosted by Siena's Laudato Sí Center for Integral Ecology, will be held February 5, 2026. Amy Domini, a leading voice for responsible economic development, will be the keynote speaker.
Siena College published this content on October 10, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 14, 2025 at 18:31 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]