Bishop Martin Hayes, who serves as the coordinating bishop for the Laudato Si Working Group, is encouraging parishes throughout the island to participate with zeal during this Season of Creation, which began on 1 September and runs until the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron of the environment, on 4 October.
Bishop Hayes said, “This year’s theme is: ‘Let Justice and Peace Flow’ and, to help raise awareness about the Season of Creation, I am asking parishes and pastoral councils to focus care and attention on our water supply – local streams and rivers. If we do this then each of us can also contribute to the flow of justice and peace in our world and so renew our relationship with creation.”
This year’s theme ‘Let Justice and Peace Flow’, reflects the 2023 message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, wherein Pope Francis calls on all of us to be just in every situation, to harmonise with creation and to be mindful of the victims of climate injustice.
Bishop Hayes continued, “As with our current Synodal Process, we pray that our efforts to promote climate justice may continue to flow together to as a source of life for our Church and for our common home. To anyone who wishes to participate during the Season of Creation, our Laudato Si Working Group, in partnership with Tróciare, have created user-friendly resources that are available on the homepage of catholicbishops.ie.”
The Season of Creation online resources include:
- homiletic aids for each Sunday of the season and the outline of a liturgy that could be celebrated at a local river;
- how to participate in our initiative to set aside 30% of parish grounds for the cultivation of biodiversity; and,
- The Message for the World Day of Prayer of Pope Francis for the Care of Creation.
It has been reported that Pope Francis will publish an updated edition of his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si, on care of our common home, 4 October next.
ENDS
