Catholic churches around the Philippines plan to observe the ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ on Tuesday, Sept. 1, heeding to the call of Pope Francis issued at his general audience last Wednesday. In Manila, the occasion will coincide with the opening of the archdiocese’s celebration of the “Season of Creation”. Manila archbishop, Card Luis Antonio Tagle will lead an afternoon Mass in the cathedral. While calling on all to participate fully in the celebration, the prelate also appealed to the faithful to be active in preserving and caring for nature and creation.
The Season of Creation, which the Archdiocese of Manila started in 2013, is a month-long event marked by a series of programmes designed to promote environmental initiatives in various parishes and schools. This year will include ecology exhibits, children’s fora on Laudato si’, ecology quiz bees in schools, and storytelling on the care of creation.
Card Tagle has also called for support for a global campaign that aims to gather one million signatures to be presented to world leaders gathering in Paris in late November. The Global Catholic Climate Movement, which launched the campaign in the Philippines in July, represents more than a hundred Catholic organizations working for climate justice across the world.
In February 2014, parishes in the capital launched an awareness campaign to collect and dispose of electronic waste. In Luzon, Catholic leaders and NGOs have led the fight to clean up grounds contaminated by mining activities. Last March, Filipino bishops welcomed the decision to relocate a large oil facility from the heart of Manila. (Source: CBCP)
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