ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
The Catholic Church has a new Mass. It was originally planned by Pope Francis. It uses prayers and readings inspired by the late pope's writings on climate change. His successor, Pope Leo XIV, celebrated the Mass for the first time on Wednesday, and like Francis, Leo called on Catholics to recognize the urgency of protecting the environment. Claire Giangrave from Religion News Service has the story.
CLAIRE GIANGRAVE: Wearing bright green vestments, Pope Leo celebrated a special new Mass centered on care for the environment.
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GIANGRAVE: It was a private Mass for Vatican staff in the lush gardens of the papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, which Leo called a natural cathedral. In his homily during the Mass, Leo reminded Catholics of their religious imperative to care for creation.
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POPE LEO XIV: (Through interpreter) We hear the cry of the Earth. We hear the cry of the poor because this cry has reached the heart of God. Our indignation is his indignation. Our work is his work.
GIANGRAVE: In his first months as Pope, Leo has signaled that creation care will be a particular focus of his papacy, much as it was for Francis. The new Mass is called pro custodia creationis - Latin meaning, for the care of creation. It's now part of a collection of 17 special Masses for social issues. The Mass begins by describing the awe-inspiring beauty of the Earth, and the scripture read during the Mass emphasizes the theme that God cares for creation and humans should, too. Leo said, quote, "we see so many natural disasters in the world, nearly every day and in so many countries, that are in part caused by the excesses of being human, with our lifestyle." Cardinal Michael Czerny is the head of the Vatican office that created the Mass.
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MICHAEL CZERNY: This Mass is a reason for joy. It calls us to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us, not only in daily choices and public policies, but also in our way of living in the world.
GIANGRAVE: Pope Leo will be spending several weeks in July at the summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, a hilltop town overlooking Lake Albano about an hour south of Rome, where he will continue to lead the church and maybe even make use of the padel court. For NPR News, I'm Claire Giangrave in Rome.
SHAPIRO: And this story was produced in collaboration between NPR and Religion News Service. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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