Pope Francis called to “stop the worldwide war against our common home” during today’s General Audience (August 30, 2023). On September 1st, the Feast of Creation, also known as World Day Of Prayer For The Care Of Creation, kicks off the 2023 Season of Creation under the theme ‘Let Justice and Peace Flow.’
To celebrate, Pope Francis calls everyone to listen to the ‘victims of environmental and climatic injustice’ and to ‘put an end to this senseless war against creation.’
The Season of Creation is an annual Christian celebration that invites us to pray and respond as a global family to the cry of Creation. This year’s theme is “Let Justice and Peace Flow” and begins on September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. Together with our ecumenical family around the world, the General Commission for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation is inviting our local communities to join in the preparation and celebration of the Season of Creation 2023.
The abundant life in Christ the Redeemer, of which we Redemptorists are servants and witnesses, is also proclaimed to a world increasingly wounded by global warming, loss of biodiversity, water and air pollution, over-exploitation of natural resources, and many other problems generated by human greed and blindness. Consistent with the call of the last General Chapter, we invite you to plan and prepare your own participation in this year’s Season of Creation as witnesses of hope in the midst of the current ecological crisis. The message of Pope Francis: Message-Season-of-CreationDownload
Pope Francis’ message for this Season invites us to “heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation.” In this regard, the Holy Father also stressed the importance of synodality with the hope that “in this Season of Creation, as followers of Christ on our shared synodal journey, let us live, work and pray that our common home will teem with life once again.”
Through prayer, practical advocacy, and sustainable actions, let us respond in a creative way to our local realities, caring for our common home, and going forth as witnesses of hope walking in the footsteps of the Redeemer!
GENERAL COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE, PEACE, AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION (JPIC)
View PDF: SEASON OF CREATION CELEBRATION GUIDE
