Lancashire Catholics in St Francis Day vigil against fracking

Laudato Si' - a clear message for Cuadrilla

A hardy group of around 70 Lancashire Catholics braved blustery weather to march up to the fracking site on Preston New Road, Little Plumpton for prayers and reflections on care for our common home as written in Pope Francis letter to the world.. Laudato Si.

Father Hugh Pollock and Father David Chinnery led the prayers and keynote speakers Stephen Garsed and Mark Rotherham spoke out about the damage we have inflicted on our world and the dangers of fracking. Ecohymns and bidding prayers helped to drive the message home.

After the main service the police stopped the traffic as the group crossed the busy main road to occupy the entrance to Cuadrilla fracking site. In the final prayer which was written by Pope Francis, the appeal to the... Magnates of the energy empires rang loud and clear. They closed with a rousing final hymn... Make me a Channel of Your Peace, marking the feast day of St Francis of Assisi the Patron Saint of the Environment.

The service was enjoyed by the regular community of protesters who have spent all year in protest over the fracking.
The day of Symbolic Action organised by the Global Catholic Climate Movement echoed the appeal to the World bank to divest in fossil fuels.

During the Season of Creation services were held across the world to celebrate the wonders of nature and to pray for the damage we have inflicted on our common home.

Watch a report of the day on YouTube here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvjXVyrrPtk