As the Catholic Church commenced this year’s Season of Creation, His Eminence Jose Cardinal Advincula encouraged the Filipino faithful to take part in formulating local programs for the protection of the environment through the Traslacion Roadmap project of the Archdiocese of Manila.
In a circular released on August 31, Cardinal Advincula called on every Filipino Catholics to participate in Traslacion Roadmap and become a “beacon of hope in the promotion of environmental care, efficient disaster response, and just social transformation”.
“Let us make this strategic object of our Traslacion Roadmap a reality by planning and designing programs on formation that lead to ecological conversion. More sustainable care for our common home projects and programs that will ensure a safe and sustainable future for the next generations,” he stated.
The Archbishop of Manila also encouraged everybody to “organize a community, institutional, parish, and even family showing and reflection on the Laudato Si movie, The Letter” to deepen love and respect for God the Creator through His creation.
Cardinal Advincula took the opportunity to inform the faithful of the actions made by the Archdiocese of Manila to respond to the call of Pope Francis through Laudato Si such as divesting investments from destructive businesses, relentless support to all environmental protect and preservation initiatives, promotion of food safety and security to address hunger, and mobilizing various institutions to become part of Laudato Si Action Platform to achieve integral ecology.
He also asked all parishes and church institutions to make every Sunday of the Season of Creation a parish Laudato Si Sunday, organize their respective ecology ministries and lead Season of Creation events in their respective communities.
The Season of Creation is celebrated annually by the Catholic Church from September 1 to October 5, and was launched in the Archdiocese of Manila in 2012, with the purpose of praising, thanking and recognizing the works of God the Creator, and broadening public awareness in protecting His creations.
This year’s theme “Let Justice and Peace Flow”, according to the official website of the Season of Creation, was inspired by the words of the Prophet Amos in the Old Testament (Am 5:24) to encourage the faithful “to join the river of justice and peace, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate justice and the loss of biodiversity.” (Lem Leal Santiago/RCAM-AOC)
