World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

Sunday 1st September 2019

Today marks the World Day of Prayer for the Season of Creation.

The Season of Creation runs from September 1^st until October 4^th, the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, whose compassion for creation is something we can all take inspiration from.

What is the Season of Creation?

Across our diocese and around the world, Christians of all denominations will use this time to celebrate creation in all of its forms and experience solidarity in prayer.

For Catholics in particular, we can use the season to think about how we can respond to Pope Francis’ challenge in Laudato Si, the letter in which he calls for us to care for our common home and undertake an ecological conversion.

Why take note?

The earth has limited resources, and there is a need for all people to reconsider how they are using them in a way that allows the earth and all of creation to survive and flourish.

Climate change is threatening creation: entire species are being made extinct, nature is suffering and the effects of climate change are disproportionately affecting the world’s poorest communities.

We are now witnessing the effects even closer to home, right here in our diocese. Just this summer we have witnessed a rise in unpredictable weather patterns and flash flooding, with dams threatening to burst and businesses and livelihoods affected.

This is an urgent issue and one that we need to act on. Whether that is by praying, acting or engaging in advocacy, it is important that we do not remain indifferent and play our own part in helping.

Our response

Across the diocese, we will stand together to pray, act and advocate for our common home.

With the announcement of the Laudato Si Centre earlier this year, we hope we can become a flagship for environmental action across the diocese. Caring for creation and protecting our common home is an important part of what it means to be Catholic.

For the next four weeks, each Sunday we will be sharing ideas, prayers, updates and reflections for the Season of Creation following on from Bishop John’s pastoral letter during Lent, which called on us to take action to live more sustainably.

You can follow these updates on our Twitter, Facebook and our Instagram account too.