This Sunday, Jun. 28th the Cathedral of Immaculate Mary Roman Catholic parish in Nelson was excited to celebrate with the world, the words of Pope Francis in his encyclical on the environment by ringing our church bell after each of the morning celebrations of the Mass during our closing hymn.
The ringing of bells etc from many churches., mosques, synagogues, prayer halls around the world indicates the strong solidarity of many people of good will in wanting to do something, now, to improve the environment for all of creation; humans, animals, plants and all inanimate objects. We are all connected.
What happens anywhere in the world will have an affect in some way to all of the rest of the world. As the Pope says, every effort to protect and improve our world entails profound changes in “lifestyles, models of production and consumption, and the established structures of power which today govern societies’” Paragraph 5/#6.
He is calling on every woman and man to examine how we live and where necessary to make changes that will benefit all of created things and leave this world better for generations to come.
Unfortunately, we missed the deadline for the Eco Society media advisory press release of the many other West Kootenay churches and are happy to join with and agree with those sentiments expressed.
Our parish will continue to plan additional activities over the coming months to better understand the encyclical Laudato Si with the intention of taking various forms of action.
It is no accident that the social justice organization of the Canadian church, Development & Peace will have a fall action campaign with the theme of Create a Climate of Change. This organization has been supporting partners in the global south since 1967, and the local Catholic community has been extremely supportive.
The Pope, in this encyclical continually refers to the fact that climate change has a much more devastating effect on the poor and the partners of Development & Peace are the poorest of the poor.
We look forward to more resources and actions that we hope and pray will help with environmental improvements and thus reduce the suffering of the world and in particular the poor.
Barry Nelson, Chairperson
Cathedral of Mary Immaculate
Development & Peace committee
Nelson