An online program that aims to “deepen” the people’s understanding of their role in caring for the earth will be made available online by the Global Catholic Climate Movement-Pilipinas starting September 1.
For 40 days, online discussions and reflections on how to “concretely respond” to the call of Pope Francis in his encyclical on environmental protection will be available on various online media channels of church and religious groups in the country.
John Din, national coordinator of the movement, said the “40-day inner journey” into Laudato si’ aims to encourage Filipinos “to perform concrete ecological actions.”
“It is a spiritual journey yet it provides guidance on how we can physically respond to the call to save the environment and all creations,” he said.
Every day, a religious institution or a faith-based organization will broadcast a 15-minute video that will provide “a deeper understanding of the Season of Creation.”
The video will contain reflections on Laudato si, sharings of best practices on environmental protection, and discussions about personal and institutional ecological actions.
Din said the online activity aims to reach the “widest possible audience.”
The “40-day inner journey” activity marks the observance of the Season of Creation, a liturgical memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, patron of ecology, from September 1 to October 4.
The observance of the 2020 Season of Creation in the Philippines has been extended until October 11 in connection with the celebration of the annual Indigenous Peoples’ Sunday.
The Philippine Catholic Church is celebrating in 2020 the “Year of Ecumenism, Inter-religious Dialogue, and Indigenous Peoples.”
Din said his organization is planning to “institutionalize” the conduct of the online “40-day inner journey” activity every year.
“It was a huge realization that with or without this pandemic, we need to maximize all available mediums to reach the faithful and deliver the message of Laudato si,” he said.
On August 24, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced a seven-year plan to promote Laudato si’ in various communities.
Din said the online activity is part of efforts of the Church in the Philippines to translate the message of the encyclical on the care of the environment to the people.
