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!

During the last eighteen months, many of us have been aghast at those who remain sceptical about the Covid-19 pandemic and see it as some sort of conspiracy. Sadly, there are plenty of people who view the constant warnings about climate change in a similar way. However, the evidence is undisputable, and the latest report from the United Nations warns us that if we don’t take action now, the damage to the earth, our common home, will be irreversible. Just this month we have heard about terrible fires in Europe and the United States, as well as unprecedented flooding in various cities.

In 2015, Pope Francis issued an encyclical letter, Laudato Si’, about these issues and established a Season of Creation in the Church’s Year to help us to focus on the cry of the earth. The season begins this week with the ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ on 1 September and runs until the feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October.

Click the links below to find out more about the Season of Creation in this important year as the UK as we host the COP26 Summit.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales have a statement on their site regarding the season

Liverpool Archdiocese has published a calendar of possible activities for the season - many of which are suitable for children

There is a workbook which can be used over the next few weeks to focus on the Season of Creation which includes prayers, readings and thoughts for action (and also some pictures of Fr Dave!)

Other Resources from Lancaster Diocese:

CAFOD Laudato Si prayer

CAFOD action ideas

The Global Catholic Climate Movement has resources and action ideas and opportunities to join in prayer

The Ecological Conversion Group has excellent resources.

Including “On Care for Our Common Home: looking at life through the lens of Laudato Si’ -Sixth Form Syllabus