Publication of Pope Francis' Message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 2023

On May 25, the Press Office of the Holy See published the Message of Pope Francis for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 2023 with the theme: "Let Justice and Peace Flow".   

The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation will be on 1 September, thus beginning the Ecumenical Season of Creation, which will conclude on 4 October, the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. 

In his message, Pope Francis invites us to “heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation.” 

In this regard, the Holy Father proposes to “transform our hearts, our lifestyles, and the public policies ruling our societies.” To this end, he recalled that Saint John Paul II urged us to live the "ecological conversion" that consists in renewing "our relationship with creation so that we no longer see it as an object to be exploited but cherish it instead as a sacred gift from our Creator."

“We must transform the public policies that govern our societies and shape the lives of young people today and tomorrow,” encourages Pope Francis.   

Finally, the Holy Father stresses the importance of synodality with hope that "in this Season of Creation, as followers of Christ on our shared synodal journey, let us live, work and pray that our common home will teem with life once again."  

Presentation of the Pope’s Message

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Cardinal Michael Czerny, presented the Message of Pope Francis at the Press Office of the Holy See.

Referring to the theme of the Pope’s Message, Cardinal Czerny explained that the image of the river is based on a biblical passage from the prophet Amos that " illustrates some key themes to help Catholics fully live the Season of Creation together with Christians of other denominations."

 

 

25 May 2023