The Ecology Commission of Hyderabad Diocese was formed in 2017, with Columban Fr. Liam O’Callaghan appointed as Coordinator. The focus of the Ecology Commission is to raise awareness in the parishes, schools and institutions of the Diocese on the need for work on care of Creation. This became all the more necessary with the publication of the Encyclical ‘Laudato Si – Care for our Common Home’ in 2015 by Pope Francis. This Encyclical places Care for Creation as a vitally important part of Catholic Social Teaching and challenges all Catholic and Catholic institutions to implement this teaching. Pope Francis also produced an Apostolic Exhortation in 2023, ‘Laudato Deum’ which is a follow-up to Laudato Si and is an urgent call to tackle the climate crisis, as time is running out.
The Ecology Commission has conducted workshops in parishes, community groups, schools and other institutions on awareness raising on environmental issues, Laudato Si, protection of oneself and one’s family against the harmful effects of climate change. Also, the celebration of The Season of Creation and international Environmental days were conducted in many areas including some inter-faith programmes.
