The Season of Creation 2025 is calling for action to address the huge costs of climate change and ecological destruction faced by the poorest, most vulnerable countries of the Global South. These countries are suffering the worst effects of climate change even though they have done the least to cause it. These same countries are forced to take out loans to build back after climate disasters. They become further trapped in debt.
Recent media reports on the war in Gaza has highlighted the increasingly dire situation. On August 22 the United Nations declared a famine in Gaza. Pope Leo also called on all Catholics to pray and fast for an end to war on that day. The ongoing violent conflict in the Holy Land is impacting the most vulnerable people - children and the elderly. Thus far reports have stated that 273 people have died of starvation; 112 of them children.
Development and Peace - Caritas Canada (DPCC) strongly condemns the July 17 attack on the iconic Holy Family Catholic Church, Gaza, killing 3 civilians and wounding 10 others, including Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, the parish priest whom the late pope Francis contacted daily to give support. This sole Catholic church in Gaza has been sheltering hundreds of civilians since the beginning of the war on Gaza. To date, over 58,000 Palestinians have been killed and 139,000 injured. According to the Holy See press office, Pope Leo XIV has repeated his appeal for a renewed push for negotiations, a ceasefire and an end to the war.
