Caritas Pakistan Leads Creation Care Prayer Day and Climate Action in Karachi
Catholic organizations, educational institutions, and parish communities across Karachi, southern Pakistan, gathered on September 1, 2026, to observe the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, launching a joint initiative to promote environmental stewardship and grassroots ecological action.
The event was organized by Caritas Pakistan Karachi in collaboration with Holy Family Catholic church, Kemari, Sacred Heart School, St. Mary’s School, and the Franciscan Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission.
The program aimed to mobilize local communities around the urgent protection of land, water resources, marine life, and urban ecosystems.
The observance opened with a Eucharistic celebration at Sacred Heart church, bringing together clergy, religious leaders, educators, students, and parishioners.
In his homily, Fr. Gul Shahzad OFM, the Parish Priest, emphasized humanity’s spiritual responsibility toward environmental preservation.
“God has entrusted humanity with a beautiful world, and maintaining its harmony is our shared responsibility,” Fr. Shahzad said. “Earth is our mother. Just as we love and care for our human mothers, we must care for Mother Earth in the exact same manner.”
He recalled the teachings of Pope Francis in his landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, reminding the congregation that the environmental crisis is deeply connected to a moral and spiritual crisis.
Fr. Shahzad urged the faithful to undergo a true “ecological conversion,” noting that protecting our common home requires rejecting a throwaway culture in favor of a lifestyle rooted in gratitude, simplicity, and care for the vulnerable.
“As Pope Francis reminds us, everything in God’s creation is interconnected, and hearing the cry of the earth means listening to the cry of the poor,” he added.
Mansha Noor, Executive Secretary of Caritas Pakistan Karachi, echoed this call, stressing that spiritual reflection must translate directly into tangible ecological action.