Pope Francis heralds Day of Prayer for Care of Creation - 1 September

On Sunday Pope Francis called attention to the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, to be celebrated on Thursday, 1 September. A major global ecumenical stewardship initiative, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation began in 1989 under the leadership of the Orthodox Church.

Pope Francis established the Day for the Catholic Church in a letter dated 6 August 2015, and addressed to Cardinals Peter Turkson and Kurt Koch, respectively the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150806_lettera-giornata-cura-creato.html

In the letter, Pope Francis said: "The annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will offer individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork entrusted to our care, and to implore God's help for the protection of creation as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live."

Speaking to the faithful following the traditional Angelus prayer on the final Sunday in August, Pope Francis looked forward to the event, saying, "This coming Thursday, September 1st, we will mark the World Day of Prayer for the care of creation, together with our Orthodox brothers and with other Churches," describing the event as, "an opportunity to strengthen the common commitment to safeguard life, respecting the environment and nature."

Resources for the Season of Creation: www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=30688

Calendar 2016 - Celebrating the Season of Creation Everyday (Produced by St Alban's Parish in Macclesfield) www.stalbanmacc.org.uk/seasonofcreation.pdf

Source: Vatican Radio