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Since its incorporation in 2014, the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa has seen remarkable growth and achieved international applause. It has brought together Catholic youth in the service of caring for the African continent, celebrated and championed Pope Francis’s eco-encyclical Laudato Si’, and assisted with World Youth Day eco-events. They’ve also constantly sought funding, balanced international and local demands, and maintained their mission during global upheavals, most especially the COVID-19 pandemic.

In short, it’s been quite a decade—and now, with a new Supreme Pontiff and new global realities, CYNESA will again come together, learn from the past, and seek to discern whatever God has planned for the future.

I covered the first CYNESA organizational gathering in 2014, when the fledgling group, having received a small seed grant, took its first step to coordinate the eco-activities of Catholic youth across multiple local chapters.

“The idea back then was to bring together the leaders of the CYNESA chapters for the first time,” CYNESA founder and executive director Allen Ottaro told Catholic Ecology last week. “I knew every chapter leader from my work with the Jesuit Youth Ministry. But they didn’t know each other.”...

With last week's election of Cardinal Robert Prevost to the Chair of Saint Peter, attention has come to the Order of Saint Augustine, commonly known as the Augustinians. And for Catholics engaged in ecological protection and education, the order’s work in this arena is of special importance. And so, what should we know about the Augustinians?

Turns out, quite a bit.

Founded in the thirteenth century, the Order of Saint Augustine is rooted in the teachings and Rule of Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD). Like similar orders, the Augustinians emphasized (and still emphasize!) community living, charity, and service, with a spirituality that integrates contemplation and active ministry.

Today, the order is most widely known for its work in education, missionary activities, and pastoral care. But are the Augustinians as well-known for their eco-efforts as other Catholic orders—most especially, the Franciscans?

Maybe not.

But for the past decade especially, inspired by Pope Francis's Laudato Si, the Augustinians have aligned their mission more explicitly with ecological concerns, reflecting the broader Catholic call to care for creation.

Before we dive into that, let’s look at the history of the order, which shares a great deal...