Season of Creation

Season of Creation begins today (Thursday 1 September) with World Day of Prayer for Creation.

This year's theme is Listen to the Voice of Creation and Pope Francis has called it "a season of increased prayer and effort on behalf of our common home".

The Season of Creation ends on 4 October, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.

Archbishop Cushley said: “As Christians we give thanks to God for his great gifts and recognise our modest place in all of creation and the responsibility of being stewards of all that has been entrusted to us.

"As we join the Holy Father in the Season of Creation 2022, let’s give thanks for all God’s blessings and let’s take up our duties to our world and to each other, to the glory of God the creator.”

Resources/events

Is your parish hosting an event for the Season of Creation? Let us know. Email the details to matthew.meade@staned.org.uk so we can share!

Visit seasonofcreation.org for more details. Read Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' here.

WATCH: Archbishop to highlight Pope's prayer for September

Archbishop Cushley will tonight echo Pope Francis' prayer intention for September that we take care of creation responsibly.

He will be the main celebrant at the annual Justice & Peace Mass at St Columba's Church in Edinburgh, which takes place on the World Day of Prayer for Creation and will be streamed on Facebook at 7pm.

Pope Francis released a video message for September, to highlight the need to respect for the planet’s resources.

He says: "We have to take care of Creation responsibly. Let us pray that the planet’s resources will not be plundered, but shared in a just and respectful manner."

In his homily tonight, Archbishop Cushley will say: "God entrusts the world to us, not for our pleasure and satisfaction, not to behave in a possessive and domineering spirit, but in a spirit after His own heart.

"As we join our Holy Father in this Season of Creation, let’s give thanks for all God’s blessings – of light, of life, of each other, and of his many gifts to us; and let’s take up our duties to our world and to each other, to the glory of God the Creator."

The annual Justice & Peace Mass will be offered for the late Fr Tommy Greenan, who died in May. He was a champion of Justice and Peace and gave many years of dedicated service to the poor in Central America, risking his life for others.

The World Day of Prayer for Creation is the first day of the Season of Creation. Find out more here.

 

Join the conversation for the Season of Creation

The Season of Creation begins in a fortnight - and there are lots of ways to get involved!

Running throughout September until 04 October, the theme this year is 'Jubilee for the Earth'. It also happens in this fifth anniversary year of Laudato Si - Pope Francis' important encyclical on caring for the poor and the planet.

There will be an online Scottish Eco Conversation on Thursday 27 August, 7:00pm-8:30pm. The open meeting features presentations from:

• Eco-Congregation Scotland – Stephen Curran
• Global Catholic Climate Movement – Jane Mellett
• Justice and Peace Scotland – Danny Sweeney
• Scottish Catholic Intentional Aid Fund – Jonathan McAveety

The discussion, hosted by the Scottish Laity Network (SLN), seeks to answer the question, How do we, as followers of Jesus, Care for our Common Home? and will be followed by a Q&A session.

Rab Burnett, from SLN, a parishioner at St Ninian and Triduana in Edinburgh, said: "It will be an ideal opportunity to find out what is happening across Scotland in response to the climate emergency as well as hearing about specific Season of Creation events."

To register for the Scottish Eco Conversation, email: slaitynetwork@gmail.com

Archbishop Cushley will be the principal celebrant at the annual Justice and Peace Mass for the Archdiocese, which takes place on 01 September, the World Day of Prayer for Creation, launching the Season of Creation.

Archbishop Cushley said: "The Holy Father asks us to unite with all Christians in prayer for the Season of Creation, so it's fitting our Archdiocese celebrates its annual Justice & Peace Mass on the World Day of Prayer for Creation."

At the Mass, celebrated at St Columba's Church in Upper Gray Street, Edinburgh, Archbishop Cushley will be joined by Fr Basil Clark, Fr Kevin Douglas, Fr Tony Lappin and Deacon John Smith. Click here to register.

SCIAF celebrates the Season of Creation with four events on Zoom. These are World Day of Prayer for Creation (01 Sep), Caring for Our Common Home in Your Parish (08 Sep), What is Climate Justice? (16 Sep) and Celebrating our kinship with the Earth and Every Living Creature (04 Oct).

Season of Creation Resources

Visit seasonofcreation.org for more details. Read Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' here.

Holy Mass to launch Season of Creation

Archbishop Cushley will be the principal celebrant at the annual Justice and Peace Mass for the Archdiocese, which takes place on the World Day of Prayer for Creation.

It launches the Season of Creation, which runs from 01 September to 04 October. The theme this year is 'Jubilee for the Earth'. It also happens in this fifth anniversary year of Laudato Si - Pope Francis' important encyclical on caring for the poor and the planet. On the day we further celebrate the Archdiocesan Feast Day of St Giles.

Archbishop Cushley said: "The Holy Father asks us to unite with all Christians in prayer for the Season of Creation, so it's fitting our Archdiocese celebrates its annual Justice & Peace Mass on the World Day of Prayer for Creation. The Judeo-Christian sense of creation is beautiful and profound and I echo the Holy Father's call during the Season of Creation for increased prayer and effort on behalf of our common home.”

At the Mass, celebrated at St Columba's Church in Upper Gray Street, Edinburgh, Archbishop Cushley will be joined by Fr Basil Clark, Fr Kevin Douglas, Fr Tony Lappin and Deacon John Smith.

A letter about this year's season of creation from the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, states: "Pope Francis’ message, which calls us to attend to the 'immense hardship for the most vulnerable among us,' is particularly relevant in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.

"As the world experiences deep uncertainty and suffering in the midst of a global emergency, we are called to recognise that a truly healthy recovery means seeing that 'everything is connected' and repairing the bonds we have broken. We realise that we need to grow more and more in solidarity and take care of one another in fraternity."

Register for the Mass on Eventbrite by clicking here. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, there are 50 places available. The Justice and Peace Group of St Columba’s invite you to the Church Hall for refreshments after Mass.

Season of Creation Resources

Visit seasonofcreation.org for more details. Read Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' here.