How seriously do you take the environmental crisis—both locally and globally? Why is the Catholic Church calling for an “ecological conversion”? And what role do the Jesuits play today, in Slovenia and around the world?

Slovenians often take pride in our “green paradise beneath Triglav,” as writer Ivan Cankar once described it. From hiking and outdoor sports to environmental stewardship, farming, and care for our natural surroundings, nature is a deeply ingrained part of our national identity. We crown mountain peaks with crosses, decorate altars with flowers, bless our lands, and walk through fields and forests to quiet our hearts in personal prayer. In these moments, we too join in the ancient hymn of St. Francis of Assisi: “Praised be You, my Lord!”—a song that mystically embraces the heavens and the earth, life and death. Sometimes we are also drawn into even older biblical verses on creation, such as the Canticle of the Three Young Men in the Book of Daniel (Dan 3:51–90), which inspired Francis himself.

May 2025 marked the tenth anniversary of the encyclical Laudato Si’—“Praised Be You, My Lord”—issued by Pope Francis. Written in accessible language, the document addresses the ecological crisis in a holistic way, integrating social, technological, moral, spiritual, and educational dimensions. It helped bring the global ecological crisis into sharper religious focus—a topic previously confined to a handful of activists and political efforts, such as those coordinated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), founded in 1972.

Jesuit Priorities and the Care for Our Common Home

“Caring for our common home” is one of the four current universal apostolic preferences of the Society of Jesus. The foundation was laid during the 34th General Congregation, and in 2010 the global Jesuit environmental platform Ecojesuit was launched. Internationally, the work is coordinated by the Secretariat for Social Justice and Ecology (SJES), while regional networks are supported by local delegates. In Slovenia, the Jesuit environmental mission benefits from the support of nature conservationist Jurij Dobravec.

Slovenian Jesuits have long been engaged in ecological awareness and spiritual connection with nature. Fr. Miha Žužek SJ introduced students to the wonders of nature in Log pod Mangartom; later, Fr. Tomaž Mikuš SJ, a former mining engineer, continued this path. Many young Jesuits found inspiration among the scouts—especially the Ljubljana 5th unit in Dravlje—most notably Fr. Primož Jakop SJ, a former forester. Others, such as Fr. Miran Žvanut SJ, have walked across Slovenia for peace together with the Christian Life Community, often combining physical activity with spiritual guidance.

You may have joined one of the Jesuit-led morning meditative walks to Ljubljana Castle or taken part in the Ecological Spiritual Retreats held at St. Ignatius on Pohorje—led this year by the author of this article, Fr. Rok Bečan SJ. Meanwhile, at international events, you might encounter Fr. Dr. Peter Rožič SJ, who since 2024 has been organizing interdisciplinary educational programs through the Laudato Si’ Research Institute (LSRI) at Oxford University.

A Testimony by Fr. Rok Bečan SJ

Fr. Rok Bečan, a Jesuit from Lovrenc na Pohorju, focuses on ecology as part of his studies in Ignatian spirituality in Madrid. He addresses climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, desertification, and other interconnected issues (economic, political, agronomic, urbanistic) from a spiritual angle. He explores the philosophical and moral roots of the ecological crisis, develops paths for ecological conversion, and searches for sources of personal motivation and communal inspiration for action. His studies include the science-faith dialogue, theology of creation, and personal testimonies.

One of his mentors at the Pontifical University of Comillas is Fr. Dr. Jaime Tatay SJ, a researcher of sacred natural places and living beings. Another is Fr. Felix Revilla SJ, director of an agronomy school in Valladolid, Castile, who coordinates two hands-on projects: support for ecological gardeners and online spiritual retreats focused on ecological themes—assisted this year by Fr. Rok himself.

During his studies, Fr. Rok became involved with the Laudato Si’ Movement (LSM), founded in 2015, which connects over 1,000 Catholic ecological organizations worldwide. He participated in the first edition of the Integral Ecology Training Course (JDEI) in 2024, taught online by Roman pontifical universities and over 30 international instructors. Among more than 700 participants, he exchanged ideas with a teacher from Hong Kong, a volunteer from the Caribbean, sisters from Vietnam and the Philippines, and a member of the Justice and Peace Commission in South Africa. Both the grassroots ecological animators and the movement’s international leadership develop engaging materials and initiatives.

A more specialized forum was the Laudato Si’ Center in Assisi, where discussions were held on whether Christian churches should declare September 1st a liturgical “Feast of Creation.” Since 1989, Orthodox Churches have marked this date as the “Day of Environmental Protection,” based on a proposal by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Catholic Church joined in 2015 by proclaiming the Season of Creation, running from September 1 to October 4. The discussions included Dr. Alenka Arko, representing the International Theological Commission. Their summaries—two ecumenical and one Catholic consultation—offer a rich panorama of doctrinal, liturgical, and pastoral theology. Bishops' conferences from the Global South, where the poor are especially vulnerable to climate change and environmental exploitation, supported the initiative in a letter to the pope.