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The Norwich Franciscan Fraternity have chosen to use CAFOD’s prayer resources for the Season of Creation during their next meeting on Climate Sunday, September 6. Jane Crone from CAFOD explains the resource.
The Season of Creation is an annual ecumenical celebration of prayer and action uniting the world’s 2.2 billion Christians around one shared purpose from September 1 to October 4.
2020 has been a year of crisis which has shaken our world, highlighting global poverty and injustice and reminding us of the urgent need to heal our relationships with creation and each other.
In the words of Pope Francis, the pandemic shows us that “we have not heard the cry of the poor and our seriously ill planet” and this is “a time to choose what matters and what passes away” (Urbi et Orbi, 2020).
The theme of this year’s Season of Creation is “Jubilee for the Earth: New Rhythms, New Hope”. Calling for a time of restoration and hope, and united in prayer, Christians are invited to show the world how to renew our relationship with our creator and creation through repenting, repairing, and rejoicing together.
Created by CAFOD’s theology team, the resources include a Novena available in print and online video based on St Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Sun. They invite us to pray for the earth and especially for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers, such as the Amazon peoples, currently under grave risk from both land grabbing and coronavirus. Each Novena has four phases: Canticle; Amazon voice; penitential prayer; plea for intercession.
Rob Hardie from the Norwich Franciscan Fraternity explained: “We’ll individually be reading the prayers over the eight days before the meeting and read the ninth prayer and the Canticle of Brother Sun during our meeting. Afterwards we’ll discuss the science of Climate Change and the way of Saints Francis and Clare which centres around the sharing of resources, identifying with the poor and a total trust in God and Providence. We’ll also consider what Franciscans today, such as Richard Rohr, say about climate issues and how we can respond to this in our lives and communities.”
CAFOD has an online petition calling our leaders to put plans in place to rebuild a fairer, more just society after the coronavirus crisis, so that the world’s most vulnerable people can live in dignity and so our common home can be restored for future generations. Find out more and sign the petition here. If your parish, school or religious community is looking at living more simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor you could consider applying for CAFOD’s Live Simply Award.
If you’d like to find out more information take a look at the Season of Creation website CAFOD’s prayer resources and Richard Rohr’s daily meditations. Or get in touch with Jane Crone jcrone@cafod.org.uk
