Jean-Hérick JASMIN, OMI (Director JPIC)
Every year from September 1st to October 4th, the Laudato Sí Action Plan team invites us to celebrate as a community and throughout the world the “Season of Creation.”
The Season of Creation “is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home. It is also the time for Christians to pray and respond together to the cry of Creation: the ecumenical family around the world unites to listen and care for our common home, the Oikos of God”, said Dr. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda.
The Season of Creation logo for 2023 is: “Let Justice and Peace Flow”
As Oblates, this recalls our 37th General Chapter. The Chapter recommended that “the Central Government develop and sustain a Congregational Plan of Action along the inspiration of Pope Francis’ Laudato Sí in collaboration with other groups and organizations, particularly the Laudato Sí Action Platform.” Our Superior General and his Council have set in motion the foundations to respond to this mandate of the 37th General Chapter.
With the support of the entire General Administration, Fr. General is launching throughout the Congregation a movement in favor of Laudato Sí as a concrete expression of the will of all Oblates to contribute to the care of our Common Home.
The General Chapter says, “We take the responsibility to do much more to promote justice and peace. The earth belongs to God, but the fruits of the earth belong to all.” On two occasions February 17th and August 15th, 2023, the Superior General has invited us to live an ecological conversion in connection with our spirituality and Oblate charism at the service of the poor with many faces.
Therefore, we encourage all our OMI-JPIC Animators from all Oblate Units to join in local communities with the laity to celebrate a time of prayer for Creation during the month of September. It is also appropriate to unite in prayer with the whole church and to continue working for the well-being of all.
The proposed materials can be found at https://seasonofcreation.org/resources/
“Future generations will never forgive us if we miss the opportunity to protect our common home. We have inherited a garden; we must not leave a desert for our children” (Pope Francis).
So, let us deepen our Season of Creation experience by taking advantage of these free resources. Our Season of Creation event will have a more significant impact if the community is engaged and inspired. We invite you to use these resources to share the word with your local church communities, invite people to join the celebration, and even take the word to audiences outside your church by reaching local news outlets.
Finally, it was announced a few weeks ago that Pope Francis is writing a letter of update on the encyclical Laudato Si’ concerning the current climate crises. Once this document is officially published, we will send it to you for further prayers.
Wishing you a good celebration of the Season of Creation, and let’s take action!
Jean-Herick Jasmin, OMI
Director JPIC
