The Oxford Pilgrimage for the Planet
We are a Laudato Si Circle based at Blackfriars in Oxford. During the Season of Creation in 2025, our group in conjunction with Christian Climate Action, and others, undertook a short pilgrimage for the planet in Oxford, to raise awareness and to pray for action on our climate emergency.
We started outside Blackfriars Priory and were blessed in preparation for our pilgrimage by two Dominican priests. The Dominican Prior joined us on our Pilgrimage.
1st stop - Barclays bank, because of the harm caused by Barclays, Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels. Instead of reducing its fossil fuel investments after the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, Barclays has continued to increase its funding for this industry. Our pilgrim group prayed that Barclays and other financial institutions funding the fossil fuel industry, urgently change their ecocidal policies and invest in a greener and fairer future for all.
2nd stop - Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy. We met the chaplain and received his blessing. We prayed and gave thanks for the courage and perseverance of young climate activists who have spoken out and taken action in recent years to wake the world up to the climate crisis.
3rd stop - Christ Church Cathedral where we met Reverend Philippa White, and prayed for climate justice in St Frideswide's Shrine. We gave thanks for the Church of England's recent decision to divest from fossil fuels, a momentous result. We also prayed for the dioceses in the Catholic Church in England and Wales that have not yet divested, to follow suit and for all faith institutions to finally divest from fossil fuels.
4th Stop - Folly Bridge: the pollution of the river Thames that despite having designated river bathing status, due to illegal sewage spills, is not fit for people to swim in. We prayed that the Thames water authorities stop profiting from pollution and clean up their act. We prayed for governments to take urgent action to stop companies causing pollution and environmental degradation, poisoning rivers and oceans with sewage and plastic, and logging and clearing primary forests.
5th stop - The Edgar George Wilson Memorial: Edgar, aged 21, drowned after saving two boys from the river Thames in 1889. We prayed for all those who risk their lives to save others and to protect our common home. We prayed for the Indigenous Earth Protectors who are murdered every week and whose lives are in constant danger, and for the brave climate activists taking non violent direct action all over the world. Finally, we prayed for climate refugees from the global south taking dangerous journeys to escape natural disasters, war, poverty and oppression.
6th stop - Osney Lock Hydro: A first community owned hydro-electric power station on the river Thames. We gave thanks for this community project and for all the ground breaking green initiatives leading the way to a fairer future. We prayed for our communities to support each other and work together as we face the effects of the climate crisis. We gave thanks for all that we had seen on this walk by the river, part of God's wonderful creation. We asked God to help us to remember to stay close to nature and listen to the voice of our Sister Mother Earth. (In 2023 when we were praying by the river, a number of geese on the opposite side started honking. It felt as though they were joining in with us!)
7th stop - St Frideswide Church: We remembered the example of St Frideswide, patron saint of Oxford, who refused a forced marriage and took refuge in nature and in prayer. By her holiness she converted her oppressor and restored his sight. She brought forth a spring of healing water nearby, in Binsey, and performed miracles. Her shrine became a place of pilgrimage and she helped to change the world. With the vicar, the Reverend Catherine Butt we prayed for the future, for the courage to keep fighting for climate justice, and the faith not to give up hope.
Anna FitzPatrick
For more information about the Laudato Si movement visit: https://laudatosimovement.org/
For more information about Christian Climate Action visit:
https://christianclimateaction.org/
