World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation Set for Friday, September 1
The first day of September is celebrated by Christians around the world as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. It also marks the beginning of the Season of Creation, which will conclude on the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi on October 4.
During this time, Christians are asked to join in prayer and work for the care of our common home. The theme for 2023 is “Let Justice and Peace Flow,” inspired by the words of the Prophet Amos: “Let Justice flow on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24).
"The evocative image used by Amos speaks to us of what God desires. God wants justice to reign; it is as essential to our life as God’s children made in his likeness as water is essential for our physical survival,” Pope Francis wrote in his message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. “When we ‘seek first the kingdom of God’ (Mt 6:33), maintaining a right relationship with God, humanity, and nature, then justice and peace can flow like a never-failing stream of pure water, nourishing humanity and all creatures.”
In his message, the pope called on Christians to adopt lifestyles marked by less waste and unnecessary consumption.
"Let us be as mindful as we can about our habits and economic decisions so that all can thrive – our fellow men and women wherever they may be, and future generations as well. Let us cooperate in God’s ongoing creation through positive choices: using resources with moderation and a joyful sobriety, disposing and recycling waste, and making greater use of available products and services that are environmentally and socially responsible.”
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation was begun by the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 1989, but it was adopted by the Catholic Church in 2015, the same year that Pope Francis issued his encyclical letter Laudato Sí.
To view Pope Francis’ message for the 2023 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, click here. To view the Holy Father’s letter establishing the day in the Catholic Church, click here. To access Laudato Sí, click here.
