The month of September is celebrated as the Season of Creation by people of faith from around the world.
The following article was published in the September-October 2024 issue of NewsNotes.
On September 1, the ecumenical Steering Committee of the Season of Creation launched the month-long celebration with a Prayer Service for Creation Day.
As the committee explains on the official webpage, “the Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home.” The website explains that what began as a declaration by orthodox Christian has since been adopted by many of the major Christian churches.
The ecumenical nature of the season was on full display in the September 1 Prayer Service, where leaders joined representing the Lutheran, Methodist, Anglican, Episcopal, and Roman and Coptic Orthodox churches.
Catholics had substantial representation at the prayer service, including from Bp. Girardo Alminaza of the Philippines, Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Suzana Moreira of the Laudato Si’ Movement.
Pope Francis has been particularly dedicated to the Season of Creation, writing a message for the Day of Creation for each September 1 since 2015. This year Pope Francis released a separate message in the form of a two-minute video on YouTube addressing the question, “Do we hear the pain of the millions of victims of environmental catastrophes?”
Through September, the Season of Creation committee plans to host two other events: a conversation on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty on Tuesday, September 10 at 9am and a Global Day of Action for a Fossil Fuel Treaty all day on Saturday, September 21.
Faith in action
Learn more about the Season of Creation and sign up for the upcoming events at www.seasonofcreation.org
Image of the Season of Creation official logo.