On Friday (19 September) students from St Ignatius College, Enfield, stood in Whitehall, opposite 10 Downing Street, where they prayed and chanted for the future of our planet.
The event, which was organised by international development organisation Jesuit Missions, sought to raise awareness of the impact of climate change, particularly on some of the world’s poorest places.
Pupils held up homemade banners championing causes such as a move towards renewable energy and shouted slogans such as ‘one planet, one chance’ in the direction of the Prime Minister’s office.
They also took time to pray a special environmental Examen – a reflective meditation where they considered the impact climate change has on them and the wider world.
It was inspired by the global ‘Fridays for the Future’ movement, a youth-led initiative that began in 2018 when environmental activist Greta Thunberg, aged 15, spent the day sitting outside the Swedish parliament demanding climate action.
Year 13 Sheniece Mills said: “Pope Francis left behind a legacy in [his environmental encyclical letter] Laudato Si’; we are created in God’s image, and this planet is a gift.
“We are stewards and not owners. We must care for this planet, we must help this planet, and we need to strive for climate justice.”
Year 13 Derrick Nimoh said: “I came here because I care for the planet, and you should care for the planet too.
“We are part of God’s creation and are tasked with the protection of our natural environment, of which we are a part.
“We are responsible for taking care of the world we live in and sharing all the wonderful resources the earth gives us.”
Jules Gibson, Community Engagement Manager at Jesuit Missions, said: “We provided a platform for pupils from St Ignatius College to be agents of change and call for climate justice.
“They were truthful in their call for leaders to act in the lead up to COP30 in November, and eloquent in their engagement with the public. System change, not climate change!”
Laudato Si’ is Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care for our common home, addressing the ecological crisis as both an environmental and moral issue. Drawing on St. Francis of Assisi’s vision of creation, it highlights how everything is interconnected and calls for an “integral ecology” that links care for the planet with justice for the poor. The document critiques consumerism and the “throwaway culture,” affirms the reality of human-driven climate change, and urges individuals, communities, and governments to undergo an ecological conversion—changing lifestyles, policies, and economies to protect creation and ensure a more just and sustainable world.
