CCA Vatican Circus Campaign

The Campaign

CCA has launched a major new campaign regarding animals in circuses.

This follows the Vatican’s recent involvement with the organisation of an event at the Rony Roller Circus in Rome and the visit by Cardinal Krajewski to the circus on February 11th 2023, including his interaction with a captive elephant.

In the days and weeks following the event, Catholic Concern for Animals has been inundated with messages from individuals and Animal Welfare organisations, including faith-based ones, from around the world, expressing shock and outrage about this incident.


Open Letter to Pope Francis

The event has caused major concern, outrage and even horror, with which CCA fully agree, and we have written an Open Letter to Pope Francis expressing our grave concerns and dismay. The open letter can be accessed here:


Our Petition

We have issued a Petition on this subject which we hope many Catholics, and indeed non-Catholic individuals, will sign and support, and we will also be undertaking many and various other actions including print, broadcast and social media output, e-mails to CCA members and supporters, blogs, Ark and newsletter articles, YouTube conversations and Podcasts, etc. You will also be able to keep in touch with the ongoing campaign via this page on the CCA website and our various social media and other platforms.

Sign the Petition


Interview with Chris Fegan

All-Creatures.org, a pioneer of faith-based animal rights and vegan activism, interviewed CCA’s Chris Fegan about the recent Vatican elephant performance and the resulting campaign that is being led by Catholic Concern for Animals (CCA), urging the Catholic Church to rescind its support of circuses that feature animal exploitation.

Watch the interview with Chris Fegan here.

And on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h1gva4vN6Q


Supporting Organisations

We are grateful for the support of many individuals and colleague organisations who have written to CCA asking to be named among the supporters of the letter, and these currently include the following organisations:

All-Creatures.org

Animal Interfaith Alliance

Catholic Action for Animals

Christian Animal Rights Association

Christians for Animals

Climate Healers

Compassion Consortium

Creation Care Church

FRA – Fraternité pour le Respect Animal

Interfaith Vegan Coalition

Peta-Lambs

Save The Asian Elephants