“Walk the talk” – Young people urged to live out climate advocacy at Laudato Si Youth Assembly

Young climate advocates have been urged to go beyond words and embody the change they wish to see in the world.

In a homily at the Opening Mass of the 3rd Laudato Si Youth Assembly currently underway in Accra, Rev. Fr. Evans Adomako, SJ, challenged the youth not only to campaign for climate justice but also to lead by example in their personal lives.

Drawing on the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, he reminded participants that all created things must be used “in so much as they help us to serve God” — a principle, he noted, many people fail to grasp in the fight for environmental sustainability.

“When we go advocating for climate justice, urging people to reduce plastic use, some think we must never use plastic at all,” he said. “But the call is not about complete rejection — it’s about responsible use.”

The Jesuit priest lamented the culture of excessive consumption and waste, warning that consumerism fuels environmental degradation. “If we keep using and throwing away, we are just being selfish. That is what I believe we are all here for — caring for our Mother Earth.”

He urged the youth to cultivate the courage to “walk the talk,” acknowledging the difficulty of living out Laudato Si principles consistently but emphasizing that it is possible.

“Most of the time, we are unable to practice what we advocate. But doing all these, if we start with ourselves, it’s difficult — but it’s possible,” he said. “Be conscious of what you are doing and what you want to achieve.”

Fr. Adomako also warned against superficial environmental activism that stops at dialogue and declarations. “Let it not be like the Paris Agreement — that we are just talking but there is no concrete thing to protect the Earth,” he said. “Let us be intentional in our deliberations.”

The homily set a spiritual and moral tone for the youth assembly, which brings together Catholic youth leaders from across the region to deepen their understanding of Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care for creation.

“Youth, we can do more,” Fr. Adomako declared. “Have courage and know that God is for what you are doing, and is with you.”