On 7 September, Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore (pictured above), Episcopal Coordinator for Laudato Si’ / Laudate Deum, and a member of the Laudato Si’ Working Group (LSWG) of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, was invited to speak in Kinsale, Co Cork, as part of the current Season of Creation celebrations.
In his presentation, Bishop Hayes highlighted the main theme of Laudato Si’, namely: we are called to live simply, and create awareness of our interrelationships with each other, with nature and with God our Creator. He said, “Laudato Si’ also asks us to embrace integral ecology, cultivate a spirituality of caring for each other and the Earth, and to be open to an ecological conversion. Notwithstanding the definite clash between this thinking and contemporary economic and/or financial values, there is a profound sense of ‘waste’ that Pope Francis refers to in Laudato Si’ where ‘the earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth’” (LS 21).
Bishop Hayes spoke about our opportunity to celebrate the Season of Creation – which started on 1 September and goes to 4 October, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assist patron of ecology – whose theme this year is ‘to hope and to act with creation’ (Rom 8:22). He highlighted “this Season provides us with the chance to offer appreciation for creation, to enter its rhythm and to recognise that we are all creatures of God.”
Finally, Bishops Hayes also outlined the initiatives being undertaken by dioceses and parishes to be more proactive not only during this Season, but also as a long term commitment to bring climate justice to fruition at a local and national level, for example the commitment to return 30% of church grounds to Nature by 2030 in cooperation with the Heritage Council and Biodiversity Officers. To find out more about Season of Creation and access resources, please click HERE.
The members of the LSWG are: Bishop Hayes, Vivek da Silva, Dr Cathriona Russell, Noirin Lynch, Dr Lorna Gold, Father Sean McDonagh SSC, Professor John Sweeney, Father Brian Grogan SJ, Dr Gary Carville, Father Michael Long SPMS, Jane Mellett, Sister Patricia Lynott RJM, Laura Madrigal, and Kate Liffey.
ENDS
