“Every Believer can create Prayers 4 Action to mark the Season of Creation” – Columban Priests and Lay Missionaries participate in an Ecological Stations of the Cross in Fiji. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society
Caritas (running Catholic Earthcare Australia) and Catholic Religious Australia are co-hosting a Zoom meeting on 3-4 September to arm all believers with resources to mark the Season of Creation. Columban members have supported Catholic Earthcare since its inception, and in 2002 the Columban Mission Institute at Turramurra hosted a three-day consultation under Archbishop Batesesby.
The Columbans also sponsored Faith and Ecology Network (FEN) by bringing together 12 faith traditions to Wonder and Care for God’s creation. It is a way of organising public gatherings of 100-400 people to learn, pray and plan common action through a professional approach. In these sessions, a scientist would talk on a chosen subject like climate patterns, rivers, genetically engineered food, transport, etc., before faith representatives responded from their faith tradition. The outcome of which participants would take what they learned back to their communities and take communal action on the shared topic.
Pope Francis gave a “Method for Action” to grow care for Earth in his encyclical Laudato Si’. This method begins with listening to the insights of scientists and respecting these insights since life on Earth sets the agenda. Then believers cast the light of faith on earth’s realities drawing on Scripture and Tradition. The headings of each section of Laudato Si’ would tease out the method and the Cardijn way of SEE.JUDGE.ACT was used as response.
Every Believer can create Prayers 4 Action to mark the Season of Creation by
- Writing Prayers of the Faithful; and
- Composing a Litany.
Prayers of the Faithful have two main parts: remembering a work of God as praise, then asking that we can act with God to bless our times.
Example One: Creator God, Your Spirit in Genesis hovered over the void to bring order and life. Guide and give us courage to grow life on earth.
Example Two: Caring God, You freed Your People from Egypt. May we welcome migrants seeking a new home.
Example Three: Transforming God, through Your Son accepting the Cross you lifted fear of death. May we accompany the dying with our own hope of new life.
To compose a litany is to simply remember the way a saint in our tradition acted and then ask them to help us in our time of need.
Example One: St Brigit named natural water springs as gifts of the Creator, pray for us to wonder and to care.
Example Two: St Pope Paul VI named human development as integral to church mission, pray for us to wonder and to care.
Example Three: St Vincent reached out to people on the periphery of society with respect. Pray for us to wonder and to care.
Through online media, Columban Mission has offered liturgical resources to help us celebrate the Season of Creation and the following link offers examples of Prayers 4 Action.
Columban Fr CharlesRue.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban PEJ eBulletin.
