FAIRTRADE

THE CALL OF CREATION 

On the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecologists and animals, the Social Justice Department of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales launched a new edition of its teaching document on the environment – The Call of Creation.

First published two decades ago, in 2002, this new edition is released at the conclusion of the Church’s month-long Season of Creation. The document calls for a “profound interior conversion” and for Catholics to “repair our relationship with God’s creation” to address the current ecological crisis.

Writing in the foreword, Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for the Environment, and Bishop Richard Moth, Chair of the Social Justice department, say:

“We are a people of hope who believe in redemption. We must study the signs of the times and take the action that is needed to repair our relationship with God’s creation. As is made clear in The Call of Creation, the exercise of the virtue of solidarity and the promotion of the common good, which are so needed at this time, are the responsibility of each and every individual and institution in society.”

You can read a copy by clicking here

LAUDATO SI’ MOVEMENT DOCUMENTARY FILM: THE LETTER:  

Premiered on the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the film tells the story of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter - Laudato Si’ and the unfolding ecological emergency.

You can watch the film below

FAITHS TOGETHER FOR CARBON NEUTRAL CITIES

ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI:

The Season of Creation culminates in the feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October. St Francis is the patron of all God’s creatures and the environment. One of the issues that demands our urgent attention is how we treat animals. The current pandemic is a wake-up call. God did not give us animals to do with as we like. He entrusted them to us – we are their custodians. Many animals suffer appalling cruelty because of our demand for food and sport. Christians have a duty of care to God’s creatures.

We can’t keep turning a blind eye!

A PRAYER FOR ANIMALS:

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals,
especially for animals who are suffering;
for animals that are overworked, underfed and cruelly treated;
for all wistful creatures in captivity that beat their wings against bars;
for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry;
for all that must be put death.
We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity,
and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion
and gentle hands and kindly words.
Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals,
and so to share the blessings of the merciful.

CAFOD EYES OF THE WORLD ASSEMBLY

Please find below the CAFOD eyes of the world assembly featuring the childen of Our Lady's Bishop Eton primary school

THE SEASON OF CREATION:

The Season of Creation is celebrated from 1st September – 4^th October (Feast of S Francis of Assisi).

Love for all creation, for its harmony. Saint Francis of Assisi bears witness to the need to respect all that God has created, and that men and women are called to safeguard and protect, but above all he bears witness to respect and love for every human being. God created the world to be a place where harmony and peace can flourish. Harmony and peace! St Francis was a man of harmony and peace.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction

SEASON OF CREATION:

Tuesday 1 September – Sunday 4 October (Feast of St Francis of Assisi). This year’s celebration takes place in the context of the special Laudato Si Anniversary Year, which Pope Francis opened on Sunday 24 May to coincide with the 5th anniversary of his encyclical.

Pope Francis states that the Season of Creation is a “season of increased prayer and effort on behalf of our common home.” ... “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue,” he asserts.  “It is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.”  Let us pray for all those areas of the world suffering extreme weather as a consequence of Global Warming and for all those struggling with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

During this season we are encouraged to pray and engage in community events in order to deepen our relationship with our God, our neighbour and the earth we share, being ever more attentive to the cry of the earth and the cry of the  poor.

To learn more about the events for the Laudato Si Anniversary Year click here

To read the Pope's message for World Day of creation click here

A JOURNEY WITH CREATION DAY 1

A JOURNEY WITH CREATION DAY 2

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