“We wish to learn “the art of encounter” by promoting listening initiatives with the synodal method that starts from sharing one’s experiences of “listening to the voice of creation”. This is the theme of the Season of Creation 2022 and involves listening to both our joys and our sorrows. The Season of Creation, its preparation and its celebration, is a favorable time to “walk together”, to live the “sacrament of care” and to be guided on new paths of integral ecology by listening to the experiences of others “. -Cecilia Dall’Oglio, Laudato Si’ Movement
In the words of the Animators and Laudato Si ‘Circles, we are all invited to continue preparing activities for the Season of Creation, which, as it does every year, begins on September 1st and ends on October 4th. This year’s theme, which was relaunched a few days ago on the occasion of the world ecumenical webinar (click here to see it in English) is “Listen to the Voice of Creation” and the symbol is “The Burning Bush”. In this link there is a beautiful video that briefly explains the Season of Creation. Learn about the history of this ecumenical event and more about this year’s theme here.
Watch the video “The Season of Creation in Assisi-Abraham’s Tent” (Activate YouTube captions):
“The experience of the “Tent” was an important opportunity to bring together the community of human beings at the service of our common home. Just like Abraham, we hosted the God of Life in our hearts. This year we feel very strongly the invitation to root our personal and community commitment in “Listening to the cry of the Earth and the Poor”. During the Laudato Si ‘Week we used the audiovisual aid “Integral Ecology and Synodality” to get in tune with Creation by “listening and walking together”. We would like to add our voice to all those in the world who want Peace, Sisterhood and Brotherhood and to get to know ourselves and each other better as we continue on our ecclesial journeys.This year too, the Season of Creation asks for a personal commitment to be a credible witness to ecological conversion. On our synodal journey through the experiences of the Circles and the Dioceses we hope to find a concrete path to follow in the Pope John XXIII Community ”.
-Edoardo Barbarossa, Laudato Si’ Animator
“In May we had a day of retreat at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Dumenza. A teaching on the passage of the burning bush was given by Brother Luca Fallica and in the afternoon we had a discussion between ourselves using the AV aid “Integral Ecology and Synodality” which was presented by Cecilia Dall’Oglio. We recommend experimenting with the AV aid yourself before using it with other associations. Excellent results! ”
– Laudato Si’ Circle Busto Arsizio Gallarate
“We used the AV aid “Integral Ecology and Synodality” during Laudato Si ‘Week in a meeting with Bishop Gianrico Ruzza of the Porto-Santa Rufina diocese and the parish community. We have received many positive reactions from the community regarding what we’ve achieved in the past two years and it has been an excellent opportunity to get to know each other better. We have faithfully followed the advice contained in the AV aid by following the times and methods of sharing. As regards the Season of Creation we are still at the planning stage but certainly, like last year, we hope to provide a calendar packed with activities involving the talents of the Italian animators and other figures who work towards integral ecology “.
-Emanuela Chiang, Laudato Si’ Circle in the wilds of Rome
“Laudato Si ‘Week for the EtnaMain Circle was an experience of walking together and of synodality. It involved many people from different geographical parts of Sicily and we would love to do something similar for this year’s Season of Creation. For example, we spent five special days together with the parish priest and the people of God in Caltavuturo. During the triduum and the feast of Mary Help of Christians, among the various activities, we had a listening session taking our cue from the AV aid “Integral Ecology and Synodality”. We had such a beautiful exchange of knowledge that the parish priest was very impressed. He was so happy that he asked us to organize the activities for the Season of Creation with the young people and the catechists in his community “
-Sister Maria Lucia Siragusa, Laudato Si’ EtnaMain Circle
We collect stories from our Animators who, through their experience, teach us that each of us are essential in our own locality. We can do this and serve the church by bringing the message of Laudato Si’ to more and more people and encouraging the faithful to pray for our planet by listening to the cry of the earth and the poor.
“The Season of Creation over the past few years has increasingly been an exciting and an ever evolving time. Many collaborations, friendships and mutual discoveries of beautiful realities active in the local area and beyond were born. There have been moments of prayer, conferences for discussion, walks in nature as a metaphor for the journey we want to travel together which gives voice to the cry of the earth and of the poor. Everything has always been characterized by an “outgoing and synodal style”, to get to know and meet more and more people. The word that I carry in my heart and that this year really moves me is “LISTEN”, listening not only to words but more so, to the silences, the different voices, the cries of those who cry without a voice, the cry of the Earth, of the least, of anyone who does not cry aloud or with their voice, of those who cry with their bodies, of those who cry in silence ”. -Carmen Falletta, Laudato Si’ Circle, Milazzo
“In 2020 we started the Season of Creation in Verona with Pax Christi and SAE. Since then we have involved more and more associations and in 2022 we started a citizen action plan to work on the recovery of urban green areas. This year we are thinking of holding an ecumenical meeting in a run down area of Verona. Enhancing urban green areas improves the quality of life of every living person. We hope to work on this together with the neighborhood activities that have been organized with 26 city associations “. -Sister Paola Moggi, Laudato Si’ Animator
It is always very exciting for us to see the creativity of our Animators who express themselves by using the aids that are provided and then adapt them to their daily realities.
“On Mount Sinai there is an encounter between God and man. The meeting takes place because Moses moves to see the burning bush more clearly. An encounter with another person only becomes possible when you move, move towards the other, change your perspective and change your position. Last year, for the first time in Busto Arsizio, Masses for the Season of Creation were celebrated in all the city parishes. It was very well received and the shared experience marked the beginning of a journey of commitment which focuses the attention of our entire pastoral care team on the very topical and urgent theme of integral ecology. “Only together can we save ourselves!” “
-Maristella Morri, Valentina Pacelli, Laudato Si’ Circles Busto Arsizio
Teamwork can certainly lead to very beautiful and effective initiatives in local areas. You can collaborate with the Animators or the Circles in your local area while involving parishes, diocesan offices, religious orders or associations and schools of the wider area.
“From September 2nd to October 9th the Busto and Gallarate Circles will visit 2 or 3 parishes every Sunday (in all covering 14 parishes). At least one if not more of the Masses will be animated and outside the church there will be a stand presenting the LSM experience, an exhibition on sustainable lifestyles ( Drops of Justice Movement) and an exhibition (prepared by us with the help of a group of young people) on the damage caused to the environment by throwing away cigarette butts. The first Mass on September 3rd will be in a park with the person responsible for the diocesan pastoral care of creation present. An altar made from bicycles will be built with the help of the scouts. Throughout the month, among the various initiatives, there will be the screening of the film Anamei, a collection of waste ‘Let’s clean the world’ in collaboration with Legambiente and the fundraising for the construction of a well in Chad will continue through Father Castrese’s work for PIME in Busto Arsizio. Finally, there’ll be an evening reflection on the passage from the book of Exodus about the burning bush held by the deacon of the city ”.
-Maristella Morri, Valentina Pacelli, Circoli Laudato Si’ Busto Arsizio
New Animators also treasure the first community experiences by teaming up to listen to each other as they plan the September activities.
“The most lively experiences are recent: a) weekend for Acr educators with the Laudato Si ‘Walk from Magredi to Monte Jouf, where around the Burning Bush we shared the commitment to educate children in integral ecology, nature, fraternity and peace; and where we experienced intense moments of prayer with the Rosary and Night Masses; b) adolescent summer camp where we contemplated the essence of Carlo Acutis’s thoughts on waste (from clothes to food), and c) tested the 5 senses in a mountain forest: Here the young people understood that the sixth sense is union with God who can help us do great things if we want. Other initiatives include the San Giuseppe Circle’s ‘Park of the Trees’: where everyone takes care of a tree and the Don Fazzini’s Laudato Si ‘Association drive to create an energetic community “.
-Gabriella Chiellino, Laudato Si’ Circle Venice
It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm and involvement, all over the world, of so many Animators and faithful who are engaged in the pathways of the church. Each with their own language, their own talents and creativity can generate processes that then develop during the year along the common path. This promotes the activities and the charism of the local church while always aware of being part of a stupendously constructed mosaic.
“Last year was the first Season of creation for us in Palermo. We carried out some initiatives with the Diocese while others we managed directly ourselves . This year we intend to be more concrete by dedicating ourselves to spreading good practices such as: a plastic caps collection (attempting to exceed last year’s 3000 kg), a cell phone collection, an invitation to support fair trade and make 0 Km purchases and organizing ecumenical meetings with other realities present in our city. The experience of the traveling tent from last year remains strong because it was from there that we got to know each other and it was a distinctive sign of our identity ”.
-Assunta Lupo, Laudato Si’ Circle Palermo
Finally, if you plan to involve your church and local community in this particular program throughout the month of September and would like to prepare a calendar of events rather than a single event, have a look at the experience carried out in Assisi last year by clicking on the following link with this article (IT).
Would you like to organize an event? In the Celebration Guide you can also find some simple ideas and tutorials on what activities may be suitable for your community. We also invite you to register your event on the Season of Creation official website 2022.
We kindly remind you to share your local commitment online through our media channels. Your prophetic voice could stimulate others to act and commit themselves! If you post photos or videos on your social networks, don’t forget to use the tag #SeasonOfCreation. Remember to share on our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter channels , and above all to register the event on the Season of Creation official website.
“TOGETHER” we met!. We are five animators from the Caserta province who met in Spring time 2020. Zoom helped us during the pandemic to get to know each other and set common goals. We immediately formed two different circles while maintaining close contact. The circles expanded to include pastoral care in the workplace and also the commission for ecumenism. There are now two other animators. We intend to listen to the needs of our local area and TOGETHER we hope to experience some beautiful moments in the upcoming “Season of Creation”. We would like to organize at least one ecological walk if possible in a wood with springs and streams, and a Mass and/or a prayer meeting. We also think it would be a good idea to contact nearby circles and take part in some of their initiatives ”.-Maria Ferreri, Laudato Si’ Animator
Register your event on the Season of Creation official website
WATCH: #SeasonofCreation: How to register an event?
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