Animals: Tradition - Philosophy - Religion Article used with permission from All-Creatures.org

Please join us and a growing number of oragnizations and individuals in signing a letter to Pope Leo XIV. The letter asks that the Vatican establish a commission of experts to develop updated teachings on human-animal relationships, teachings that reject cruelty and indifference and encourage tenderness toward all creatures.

Letter to Pope Leo XIV from Christian Faith Based Organisations and Individuals
September 2025

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CHRISTIAN ANIMAL ADVOCACY AND PROTECTION ORGANIZATIONS SIGN LETTER TO POPE LEO XIV URGING AN OVERDUE UPDATE TO THE CHURCH'S TEACHING ON HUMAN–ANIMAL RELATIONS

VATICAN CITY (October 1st, 2025) — Christian animal advocacy and protection organizations have written to Pope Leo XIV asking him to initiate work on the theological and doctrinal renewal of the principles governing the relationship between humans and animals, and on new social teaching of the Church in this regard.

This highly important request urges the Pope to take into account current knowledge about animal sentiency, growing animal suffering in industrial agriculture, and the detrimental outcomes to mankind, the animals, and the planet which will continue including climate changes, pollution of the planet, and world hunger if theological and doctrinal renewal does not take place.

The signatories believe that a compassionate teaching on human–animal relationships, rooted in Scripture and Tradition, and updated according to present scientific knowledge is urgently needed to address widespread cruelty, environmental degradation, and climate crisis. That is why they request the Pope to establish a commission of theologians, ethicists, scientists, and other relevant experts to develop a teaching underlying the intrinsic value of all animals as God’s creatures and calling the faithful to eliminate cruelty, exploitation, and indifference to their suffering.

The letter states:

“We earnestly appeal to Your Holiness to open in the Church a new chapter of moral reflection and teaching that will include animals within the circle of compassion and justice. Just as the Church has played an important role in advancing environmental protection, now it has a chance to lead in healing our relationship with animals. "The whole of creation waits with eager longing for the children of God to be revealed" (Romans 8:19).”

“We respectfully request that Your Holiness establish a commission of theologians, ethicists, scientists, and other relevant experts to explore this issue in depth and to develop updated Catholic teaching on human–animal relationships that reflects contemporary scientific knowledge and will help shape people into the image of a loving and compassionate God.”

Read the complete letter and signatory list here. The letter is also available in French, Spanish, German, Italian and Polish.

English: https://chng.it/cgtZNBqNTX
Français: https://chng.it/DKMWpQ9GJ5
Polski: https://chng.it/jkcQ8QSrZk
Deutsch: https://chng.it/F7HgZP7mQ7
Italiano: https://chng.it/j2gXwNPjrB
Español: https://chng.it/mHNzL88r5Z

Signatories:

All Creatures.org (USA)
Tams Nicholson, Executive Director
https://www.all-creatures.org/

AnimaTerra - Prendre soin de la Terre et du Vivant
Christine Kristof
www.animaterra.fr

Catholic Action for Animals and St. Barnabas Laudato Si' Group (UK)
Virginia Bell, [email protected]
https://catholicactionforanimals.wordpress.com/

Catholic Vegetarians (Italy)
Marilena Bogazzi, President, [email protected]
www.cattolicivegetariani.it

Christian Animal Rights Association (USA)
Matthew A. King, President, [email protected]
https://christiananimalrights.com/

Christian Vegetarian Association (USA)
Stephen R. Kaufman, MD, Chair
https://www.christianveg.org/

Christians for Animals (Poland)
Barbara Niedźwiedzka, PhD, [email protected]
www.opowiedzwierze.pl
https://www.facebook.com/ChrzescijanieZwierzeta

ChristInnen für Tiere (Germany)
Gabriella Perotto, [email protected]

Fraternité pour le Respect Animal (France)
Estela Torres, [email protected]
https://fra-respect-animal.org/

Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC)
Colm Fahy, Ecology Advocacy Officer
https://www.jcfj.ie/

Pan-Orthodox Concern for Animals
President Dr Christina Nellist, [email protected]
https://panorthodoxconcernforanimals.org/

Vegan Catholic Christian
Daniel Mascarenhas, S.J., [email protected]
vegancatholic.org

The list is still open for Christian faith based organisations to sign.

Contact:

Barbara Niedźwiedzka
Christians for Animals – Poland
[email protected]

For the PDF of the letter to Pope Leo XIV, click here.

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: September 17, 2025
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