The following is the text of the Pope’s video with the prayer intention for the month of September, disseminated via the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, on the theme Let us pray that each of us listen with our hearts to the cry of the Earth and of the victims of environmental disasters and climate change, making a personal commitment to care for the world we inhabit:

Video Message of the Holy Father

Let us pray for the cry of the Earth.

If we took the planet’s temperature, it will tell us that the Earth has a fever. And it is sick, just like anyone who’s sick.

But are we listening to this pain?

Do we hear the pain of the millions of victims of environmental catastrophes?

The ones suffering most from the consequences of these disasters are the poor, those who are forced to leave their homes because of floods, heat waves or drought.

Dealing with the environmental crisis caused by humans, such as climate change, pollution or the loss of biodiversity, begs responses that are not only ecological, but are also social, economic and political.

We must commit ourselves to the fight against poverty and the protection of nature, changing our personal and community habits.

Let us pray that each of us listen with our hearts to the cry of the Earth and of the victims of environmental disasters and climate change, making a personal commitment to care for the world we inhabit.