Oxford Pilgrimage for the Planet on Feast of St Francis

Oxford Pilgrimage for the Planet

On Sunday morning, 4 October, around 30 people shared in a two hour 'Pilgrimage for the Planet' around eight Oxford landmarks to highlight the climate and nature emergency.

Jointly organised by the Oxford branches of the Laudato Si Movement and Christian Climate Action, the pilgrimage began at Blackfriar's Priory in St Giles and passed through the centre of Oxford visiting sites, including Christchurch Cathedral, where they paused and prayed to draw attention to the impact of the climate and nature emergency and the actions needed by governments and corporate powers to live sustainably.

Fr Dominic White, Prior of Blackfriars Priory said: "The Pilgrimage for the Planet is important because the planet is our common home. Pilgrimage is an increasingly popular spiritual practice, and gathers us together in community, enjoying nature and praying for its healing."

According to the Met Office, 2026 the UK saw its hottest summer on record and globally August was the hottest month ever recorded. Drought across England and Wales reduced harvests, 966 wildfires were attended by firefighters, the highest number ever, and the NHS claimed the busiest year for heat related admissions to A&E. Europe was hit worse as it recorded its most severe heatwave, resulting in wildfires that devastated huge areas in the region.

Met Office scientist, Dr Mark McCarthy, says: "The summer of 2026 is an example of the extremes we can expect to see more frequently as a consequence of human induced climate change".

The hottest summer followed on from a winter with record breaking levels of rain and storms in south-west England, which stopped trains, flooded roads, ruined crops and devastated homes. Cornwall recorded its wettest winter ever.

According to Dr Mark McCarthy: "Climate science tells us that climate change is going to result in wetter winters. As the planet warms and the atmosphere becomes warmer, it is able to hold more moisture."

Helen Elwes, who helped organise the pilgrimage said 'Climate Change is the defining issue of our time, caused primarily by burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Over 1,450 people died and 5,200 are still missing after the devastating flash floods in Nepal this September, caused by climate change.

There were 2,877 heat-associated deaths in May and June, according to the UK Health Security Agency, double the whole of last year. These climate induced catastrophes are being repeated across the world through flood, heat and drought, forcing people to migrate and creating food shortages where the young and elderlyare the most at risk. Whilst this continues, major fossil fuel producing countries plan to burn more over coming years. We need to invest in renewable energy and cherish our natural habitat. As a Christian I feel I must do all I can to protect God's glorious creation and work for a safer and fairer world for our children'.

Stephen Micalef said: "I joined the Oxford Pilgrimage for the Planet today, on the 800th anniversary of St Francis's death: the patron saint of animals and ecology.

Outside the Catholic Chaplaincy we were joined by a robin red breast listening to our ecological rosary as if he was listening to St Francis himself! Then on to the beautiful Thames footpath towards the Osney Lock Hydro which was sadly inoperative due to the record breaking droughts this summer. We learnt of the shocking pollution of the Thames, and our rivers & oceans worldwide, and prayed for action by our leaders to stop the degradation of the living waters which feed all life on Earth."

The Osney Lock Hydro, is the first community owned hydroelectric power station on the River Thames. The Revd James Grote says "This project shows what can be done when people, government and business put their mind to its as we need to cut fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy. The climate emergency makes people feel very worried for the future but there are things that we can do. The People's Emergency Briefing is a great film being shown in every area of the country at the moment. It brings together scientists and experts to explain in 50 minutes what the impacts of climate change could be and what we can do to be prepared, and reduce the effects by living differently. If you go onto the website https:// www.nebriefing.org/the-film you can see where it's showing in your area, and it's free."

Christian Climate Action is a community of Christians supporting each other to take meaningful action in the face of imminent and catastrophic anthropogenic climate breakdown. For more information see: www.christianclimateaction