The New Votive Rite Option of the Mass “Pro Custodia Creationis”: A Celebration of Creation Rooted in Catholic TraditionIn July 2025, the Vatican announced the introduction of a new votive Mass titled *Pro Custodia Creationis* (For the Care of Creation), a liturgy focused on environmental stewardship and humanity’s responsibility to care for God’s creation. This development has sparked both interest and debate, with some questioning whether it veers toward nature worship or pagan practices like those associated with Pachamama or Mother Nature. This blog post will explain the new rite, ground it in Church teaching, clarify its intention, and address why it is distinctly Catholic and not a form of paganism.
What is the Votive Mass “Pro Custodia Creationis”?
A votive Mass in the Roman Catholic Church is a liturgy celebrated for a specific intention, distinct from the regular liturgical calendar. The Pro Custodia Creationis is designed to emphasize the care of creation, aligning with the Church’s growing focus on ecological responsibility. According to posts on X, the Mass was approved by Pope Leo XIV and includes prayers, such as the Prayer after Communion, which asks that “we may learn to live in harmony with all creatures”. It is intended to be celebrated optionally, particularly in contexts where environmental concerns are prominent, such as during the annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1.
The Mass draws heavily from Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ (2015), which calls for an “integral ecology” that integrates care for the environment with social justice and human dignity. The liturgy is not a replacement for the traditional Roman Rite but an addition meant to foster reflection on humanity’s role as stewards of creation.
Church Teaching on Creation and Stewardship
The Pro Custodia Creationis is firmly rooted in Catholic theology, which has long emphasized the goodness of creation and humanity’s responsibility to care for it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states:
> “God wills the interdependence of creatures. The sun and the moon, the cedar and the little flower, the eagle and the sparrow: the spectacle of their countless diversities and inequalities tells us that no creature is self-sufficient. Creatures exist only in dependence on each other, to complete each other, in the service of each other.” (CCC 340)
This teaching underscores that creation is a gift from God, ordered toward His glory, and entrusted to humanity for stewardship, not exploitation. The Book of Genesis further supports this, where God gives humans “dominion” over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28), interpreted by the Church as a call to responsible care, not domination.
In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis expands on this, stating:
> “We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us… Each community can take from the bounty of the earth whatever it needs for subsistence, but it also has the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations.” (Laudato Si’, 67)
The Pro Custodia Creationis reflects these teachings by encouraging Catholics to pray for the wisdom and strength to care for the environment in a way that honors God’s design. The Mass’s prayers and readings likely draw from scriptures like Psalm 24 (“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it”) and Romans 8:19-22, which speaks of creation groaning for redemption, reinforcing the theological foundation of ecological responsibility.
Intention of the New Rite
The intention of the Pro Custodia Creationis is to integrate environmental stewardship into the Church’s liturgical life, making it a focal point for prayer and action. It responds to contemporary ecological crises—climate change, deforestation, pollution—while framing them within a Catholic worldview. As Pope Francis noted in *Laudato Si’*, “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (Laudato Si’, 217).
The Mass is meant to inspire Catholics to live out this vocation through sustainable practices, advocacy for environmental justice, and gratitude for creation’s beauty. It also aligns with the Church’s broader mission of inculturation, adapting the liturgy to address modern challenges while remaining faithful to doctrine. The Vatican’s announcement suggests Pope Leo XIV will celebrate this Mass at Castel Gandolfo in July 2025, signaling its importance as a model for global Catholic communities ().
Addressing Concerns About Paganism
Critics, as seen in posts on X, have expressed concerns that the Pro Custodia Creationis might resemble pagan nature worship, particularly evoking the 2019 Amazon Synod controversy involving Pachamama statues. These concerns often stem from misunderstandings of the Church’s approach to inculturation and the use of symbols that may appear pagan to some. To address this, it’s essential to distinguish Catholic reverence for creation from pagan practices like those associated with Pachamama or Mother Nature worship.
Paganism, as historically understood, involves polytheistic or animistic beliefs that attribute divinity to natural elements or deities like Pachamama, an Andean goddess revered as “Mother Earth”. Such practices often include rituals offering sacrifices or prayers to nature deities for prosperity or protection, which are fundamentally at odds with Catholic monotheism. The Catholic Church teaches that there is one true God, the Creator, who is distinct from His creation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clarifies: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachamama)
> “The universe, created in and by the eternal Word, the second person of the Holy Trinity, reflects the wisdom and goodness of God… Creation is the foundation of all God’s saving plans… and so we see in it something of the reflection of God’s glory.” (CCC 295, 299)
The Pro Custodia Creationis does not worship creation but honors God through His creation, recognizing it as a gift that reveals His glory. This is distinct from paganism, which might deify nature itself, as seen in practices where Pachamama is venerated with offerings like food or incense. The Mass’s focus is on stewardship—caring for the earth as an act of obedience to God’s command to “till and keep” the Garden (Genesis 2:15).[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachamama)
The 2019 Amazon Synod controversy, where statues labeled as Pachamama were displayed in Vatican gardens, fueled accusations of idolatry. Pope Francis clarified that there “was no idolatrous intention” in their use, and sources indicate the statues, purchased from a craft market, symbolized life and indigenous culture, not worship. The Church has a history of inculturation, transforming cultural symbols to reflect Christian truths, as seen when early Christians repurposed Roman feast days to honor saints. However, the lack of clear explanation during the Synod led to confusion, highlighting the need for careful communication to avoid scandal. (https://www.homeofthemother.org/en/magazine/selected-articles/spiritual-life/10830-il-sinodo-per-l%25E2%2580%2599amazzonia-e-la-pachamama-2)[](https://francisclooney.hsites.harvard.edu/blog/pope-amazon-and-pachamama)[](https://www.reddit.com/r/Catholicism/comments/zcipbw/why_did_the_pope_allow_pachamama_idol_at_the/)
The Pro Custodia Creationis avoids such ambiguity by grounding its prayers and intention in Catholic doctrine, as articulated in Laudato Si’ and the Catechism. It does not invoke nature deities or promote pantheism, which equates God with the universe. Instead, it calls Catholics to live in harmony with creation, as the Prayer after Communion suggests, reflecting the interconnectedness of all creatures interdependent under God’s providence (CCC 340,). This aligns with St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures, which praises God through “Sister Earth, our Mother,” without deifying nature. (https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10717a.htm)(https://mustfollowifican.wordpress.com/2024/01/24/pachamama-at-the-vatican/)
Why This Matters Today
The Pro Custodia Creationis responds to urgent ecological challenges while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching. It invites Catholics to reflect on their role as stewards in a world facing environmental crises, fostering a spirituality that sees care for creation as an expression of love for God and neighbor. As Pope Francis writes:
> “A sense of deep communion with the rest of nature cannot be authentic if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion, and concern for our fellow human beings.” (*Laudato Si’*, 91)
By integrating ecological awareness into the liturgy, the Mass bridges faith and action, encouraging Catholics to address environmental issues without compromising the Church’s monotheistic faith.
The Pro Custodia Creationis is a votive Mass that celebrates God’s creation, rooted in the Church’s teachings on stewardship and the goodness of the created order. Its intention is to inspire Catholics to care for the earth as a moral and spiritual duty, not to worship nature as pagans might. By grounding itself in Scripture, the Catechism, and Laudato Si’, the Mass avoids the pitfalls of paganism, such as those associated with Pachamama or Mother Nature worship, and instead offers a distinctly Catholic vision of “integral ecology.” As the Church navigates modern challenges, this liturgy serves as a call to honor God by caring for His creation, ensuring that faith and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
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References
- *Catechism of the Catholic Church* (CCC), 1994.
- Pope Francis, *Laudato Si’*, 2015.
-: @RichRaho, X post, July 3, 2025.
-: @BigModernism, X post, July 3, 2025.
-: @christendomapp, X post, July 1, 2025.
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