By Tere Esmeralda - Medina
The Season of Creation which started on September 1 with the Day of Prayer for the care of Creation was celebrated in the Archdiocese of Caceres with a Liturgy of Creation at the Caritas-Caceres chapel celebrated by Fr. Marc DP. Real, Executive Director of Caritas-Caceres (Naga). Inc.
A clean-up drive of the surroundings of the Caritas Caceres grounds followed in preparation for the tree planting for the closing of the season of creation.
After publishing his 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home,” Pope Francis formally added the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation to the Catholic calendar as an annual day of prayer. In 2022, he officially invited Catholics to celebrate the full season from September 1 to October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.
In the Archdiocese of Caceres the culmination of the season was done on October 2 with the Liturgy of Creation and tree planting from fourteen parish communities. Two other institutions joined the culmination by contributing knowledge on two relevant topics.
“Waste Segregation” was discussed by Prof. Jennifer A. Ebona of the Camarines Sur Bicol State University of Agriculture. She presented technologies adopted by the Naga City Solid Waste Management as well as segregation which start at the homes. Also joining the celebration was Ms. Nathalie DR Maggay from the University of the Philippines – Camarines Sur Chapter (UPAA-Cam. Sur) who discussed “Plastic Use Reduction.” Ms. Maggay highlighted the negative consequences of using plastic, from health issues to the damage plastics inflict on human and animal species and the decades it would take to get rid of plastic waste derivatives.
The Department of Agriculture FO5 provided planting materials aside from the seedlings received by members of the Self Help Groups (SHeG) of Palestina, Himaao and Ocampo.
Participants to the symposium came from 14 neighboring parishes representing the parish pastoral councils and SHeG communities. Expressions of commitment to care for our common home was led by Rev. Fr. Real and Rev. Fr. Erwin Bismonte, Assistant Director.