A Traversing Emmaus miniseries for the Season of Creation (1st Sept ‐ 4th Oct).

This is an ecumenical season that annually unites all Christians around the world to pray and act for our common home.

Episode 3 continues with the opening paragraphs of Laudato Si in which the Pope firstly canvasses what is meant by "integral ecology" (i.e. a vision of life in which all that is human, natural an spiritual, touches upon the questions of ecology — this is paragraphs 10-12). Secondly, the Pope sign-posts where the document is headed as part of the corpus of Catholic social teaching — what its missionary and evangelical hopes are (par. 13-16).

You can view the entire Laudato Si document at the Vatican website, available here: https://bit.ly/3q0IBda
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A Christian prayer in union with creation

Father, we praise you with all your creatures.
They came forth from your all-powerful hand;
they are yours, filled with your presence and your tender love.
Praise be to you!
Son of God, Jesus,
through you all things were made.
You were formed in the womb of Mary our Mother,
you became part of this earth,
and you gazed upon this world with human eyes.
Today you are alive in every creature
in your risen glory.
Praise be to you!
Holy Spirit, by your light
you guide this world towards the Father’s love
and accompany creation as it groans in travail.
You also dwell in our hearts
and you inspire us to do what is good.
Praise be to you!
Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love,
teach us to contemplate you
in the beauty of the universe,
for all things speak of you.
Awaken our praise and thankfulness
for every being that you have made.
Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined
to everything that is.
God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Amen.
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A prayer of conversion,

Ever present God,
giver and sustainer of everything that has life,
maker and fulfilment of all that exists,
although we fail to respect your creation,
listen to the prayers of our heart:

We too are creatures.
Turn our hearts to your love and care for all creation.
With you we gave names to all living things.
Turn our minds to your vision of the heavens and the earth.
We live off the bounty of earth, sea and sky.
Turn our hands to your stewardship.

Through Christ, in whom all things are made
and held in being,
we pray for the power of your Spirit:
to transform our words and actions,
to care more deeply for all creatures,
to save what is threatened,
to mourn what is lost,
to seek Christ in the cry of the earth
and the cry of the poor,
and
to give glory to your name through all creation.
Amen. 

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You can see the ACBC's JEP Office publications, such as the Social Justice Statement 'Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor', prayers and other resources here: https://bit.ly/3Ro2XZb

You can follow the international Laudato Si Movement here: https://bit.ly/3eeE7wR

May all of this lead to a deep and lasting ecological conversion for us all, wherever we are, with whomever we live and work.

Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

Artwork "Das Paradies" by Jan Brueghel the Elder, (c.1620).