OTTAWA -- A coalition of Catholic and other faith-based organizations and social justice groups are joining forces in a new initiative to unify the voices demanding action to address climate change.

VATICAN CITY -- Humanity has failed to take care of the earth and its inhabitants, sinning against God and his gift of creation, Pope Francis said.

As the first signs of spring began to appear in Toronto, a sprightly team of young Catholics decided to celebrate Earth Day by picking up trash at Christie Pits Park. 

WINDSOR, Ont. – They’re called Climate Crusaders, and they’re part of what’s being described as the largest program of its kind in North America.

VATICAN – The Vatican Gardens has branched out and added a small orchard to its hillsides, becoming a safe haven for a number of endangered native Italian fruit and nut tree species.

Even if spring refuses to get sprung this year after a stubbornly long winter, Earth Day will still be an intensely educational and intensely religious occasion in Catholic schools across Ontario.

Maybe Pope Francis got his wish.

On Earth Day, April 22, 175 world leaders signed the Paris Accord on climate change — a new one-day record for any international agreement. Fifteen countries immediately ratified it, making it law in those countries.

VATICAN CITY – Dive into the world's problems with courage and help people turn their lives of desolation into abundance and hope, Pope Francis said.

What could be the largest protest ever on the streets of Montreal has full Church backing. Earth Day protesters who gather next to the Place des Arts in downtown Montreal will be backed up by Church bells ringing from most of the city’s 230 Catholic churches.

Organizers are predicting the April 22 protests will draw more people than March demonstrations against a 75-per-cent tuition hike. The student protest brought about 100,000 onto Montreal’s streets. Earth Day has a broader appeal in Quebec than the tuition fee issue, said Green Church director Norman Levesque.

This week's batch of movies couldn't be more different if they tried. A Disney nature documentary, a space-based action, a horror movie and romantic comedies mean you're sure to have something to entertain you at the weekend.

Although Earth Day is a secular event, Catholics can turn to the patron saint of ecology to see the importance of respecting and preserving the planet. 

St. Francis of Assisi was born to a middle-class family in Assisi, a small town in central Italy. But his life was forever changed when he heard the voice of Jesus coming from the crucifix in the abandoned Church of San Damiano.