CCA Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis
21 April 2025
It is with profound sorrow that Catholic Concern for Animals (CCA) has learnt of the passing of Pope Francis. As a Catholic charity, we mourn the loss of an enlightened and inspiring leader who guided the Church with love and compassion for all of God’s creatures. His ground-breaking Encyclical Laudato Si’ has been the bedrock of CCA’s work since its publication in 2015. The Encyclical’s rejection of despotic anthropocentrism, and its exhortation to hear the cries of the suffering and to cultivate an ethos of care for all creation are more relevant than ever in the turmoil of today’s world. Confident that Pope Francis is now resting in God’s arms, we are immensely grateful for his gift. He will be sorely missed but his legacy will continue to shine a light on our path as we pursue CCA’s charitable mission to advance Christian respect and responsibility for the animal creation within the Catholic tradition.
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About Catholic Concern for Animals
Contact
Chris Fegan, CEO at [email protected]
Mission
Our Mission is the advancement of Christian respect and responsibility for the animal creation with special reference to Catholic teaching and beliefs.
Activities
The charity meets its objective of advancing Christian respect and responsibility for the animal creation through education and advocacy, both digitally and through face to face contact. Digitally, CCA promotes its work through its website and social media outreach, including the production of a regular newsletter and the members’ magazine The Ark, which is now produced as a members’ only area on the website. The Chief Executive promotes the work of the charity by engaging with other organisations to end animal cruelty. The charity also supports animal rescues through its Global Animal Rescue Fund.
Public Benefit
The charity provides a public benefit by producing educational material and giving talks on the empathetic treatment of animals, based on the teachings of the Catholic Church, which gives a moral benefit to the human community.
Impact
The charity has a high impact by informing and educating on the issues of Animal Advocacy among the Catholic world population at all levels, from the Vatican as the Catholic Church’s highest institution to individual Catholics throughout the world. The Charity also works very closely with other Animal Advocacy organisations and individuals worldwide.
Support
We receive no public funding and rely entirely on the compassion and generosity of our supporters to be able to continue our work. If you would like to support us, you can do so by making a donation, becoming a member or leaving a legacy (see above).
Memberships
CCA is a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) accredited organisation and a member of UNEP’s Faith for Earth Coalition. CCA is a member of Eurogroup for Animals, the World Federation for Animals and the Animal Interfaith Alliance
Animal Compassion Prayer Book
Created by William Radinson to support people who have genuine compassion for animals and to inspire them and strengthen their faith while they work to end animal suffering – details here.
