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Your World Day of Prayer for Creation

August 29, 2019
By Ruth Battaglia, CSA

The text and vigils below are adapted from:
 https://cafod.org.uk/News/UK-news/Celebrate-World-Day-of-Prayer

Sunday, September 1 is World Day of Prayer for Creation. The day is inspired by Pope Francis' landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls on "every person living on this planet" to care for our shared Earth.

He calls us all to celebrate this opportune moment to “reaffirm [our] personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation, as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live.”

This World Day of Prayer also falls at the beginning of Creation Season, which runs until 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi. This is an ecumenical season dedicated to prayer for the protection of creation and the promotion of sustainable lifestyles.

Shortly after Creation Season this year, a Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will take place, focusing on the Amazon region and integral ecology. This will be an opportunity for the Church to listen to the people of the Amazon and respond with them to the devastation facing them and their environment. 

There are many ways to respond to Pope Francis’ call to care for the gift of God’s creation – why not take some time out of your day on 1 September to walk in your local park or take a few moments to thank God for the flowers growing in your garden?

Click here to download a prayer focus entitled "Caretaker of God's Creation."

Click here to download a prayer focused on the Amazon.

“Pope Francis is calling us to an ecological conversion,” says Susy Brouard, who works in the Theology team here at CAFOD. “His encyclical reminds us that we have a responsibility to our Earth, each other and to generations yet to come. The World Day of Prayer is another opportunity for us to connect with our creator God and allow the Lord to redefine our relationship with the environment: from one of consumption and control to one of care and protection."

 

Invitation Only