Catholic Earthcare Australia has this week celebrated the first World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on 1 September by releasing a short video entitled Laudato Si’ – An urgent appeal for action.
The video features three prominent Catholic leaders, including Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana; Bishop of Armidale NSW and Chair of Catholic Earthcare Australia, Bishop Michael Kennedy; and Director of Catholic Earthcare Australia, Jacqui Rémond.
The video offers a unique Australian perspective on Pope Francis’ new Encyclical Laudato si’, and a direct call to action for the Australian Catholic community.
The message in Laudato Si’ – An urgent appeal for action resonates strongly on World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
Pope Francis announced his decision to add the annual prayer day to the Catholic calendar in a letter to Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and to Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
The text of the letter, dated 6 August, was released by the Vatican on 10 August.
Pope Francis said he was instituting the prayer day for Catholics because he shares the concern of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who initiated a similar prayer day for the Orthodox Church in 1989.
This video highlights the urgent nature of his appeal, particularly here in Australia.
Catholic Earthcare Australia hopes that this video will act as a catalyst for reflection and action.
Jacqui Rémond, Director of Catholic Earthcare Australia, is urging communities, schools and parishes to watch the video together, to reflect on its message and then dialogue about what actions can be taken at an individual, family, community and national level to care for Planet Earth, our common home.
The video can be viewed online at: http://catholicearthcare.org.au/project/laudato-si-an-urgent-appeal-for-action.