Hope and Act with Creation

 

The Season of Creation began September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends tomorrow, October 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology.

The theme for the 2024 Season of Creation is "To hope and act with Creation." This annual Christian celebration encourages Christians worldwide to pray and respond to the cry of Creation. The guiding symbol for this year's season is "The first fruits of hope," inspired by Romans 8:19-25.

The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are two sides of the same coin. The cry of one causes the cry of the other.

The times we live in demonstrate that we often view the Earth not as a gift from our Creator but as a resource to be exploited - almost always at the expense of the poor. However, Creation teaches us that hope is present in waiting, in the expectation of a better future. To hope, in the biblical context, doesn't mean remaining still and silent; it means actively groaning, crying out, and struggling for a new life even amidst difficulties. Creation and all human beings are called to worship the Creator and work toward a dynamic future from which the first fruits of hope can spring.

As the season comes to a close, let us reflect on our relationship with the Earth, seek reconciliation with the Earth and with one another, and resolve on meaningful new personal habits to care for our common home.

Grassy Narrows First Nation Sues Over Mercury Pollution

 

Image credit The Toronto Star

News items in today's Canadian media report that Grassy Narrows First Nation is suing the Federal and Ontario Governments over continued mercury pollution of their drinking and fishing waters since 1960, when Dryden's paper mill in northwestern Ontario dumped an estimated nine tonnes of mercury into their water in violation of Treaty 3.

We asked Copilot (Microsoft's AI): What does Pope Francis say about water in Laudato Si? Here is Copilot's response:

In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis addresses the issue of water by stating that “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights” (LS 30). 

He emphasizes the critical importance of water, the growing tendency to privatize it, and the need for it to remain accessible to all, especially the poor who are disproportionately affected by water scarcity.

Pope Francis also reflects on the broader environmental crisis, linking the degradation of nature to the exploitation and abuse of the planet’s resources, including water. He calls for a collective response to the “cry of the earth” and the “cry of the poor,” urging for a change in lifestyle, production, and consumption to protect our common home.

The encyclical is a call to action for all humanity to recognize the severity of the environmental challenges we face and to work together towards sustainable solutions, with clean water being a fundamental aspect of this global endeavor.

It behooves Canadians, especially Ontarians, of conscience to support and amplify the repeated pleas of the people of this First Nation to have the waters of Grassy Narrows remediated. Boiling water can kill bacteria in the water, but no amount of boiling can get rid of mercury.

It is the mission of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) to serve Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy. Where people are disadvantaged by systemic injustice, we advocate with them and on their behalf.