Life in Creation: Our Care, Our Stewardship

“As Christians, we wish to contribute to resolving the ecological crisis which humanity is presently experiencing. In doing so, we must first rediscover in our rich spiritual patrimony the deepest motivations for our concern for the care of creation.”

These are words of Pope Francis which moved the Family and Life Apostolate, Couples for Christ, Youth Ministry and Barangay officials of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish (SHJP) in Obrero, Davao City to share their effort in caring for creation. Initiated by the Family and Life apostolate, they strongly support the call of the Catholic Church to care for life as it is God’s wonderful creation.

Earnest to do their responsibility for the care of our mother nature, over a hundred families planted mangrove seedlings in Bucana, Barangay Lasang, Davao City. This made the youth become visible and partake in the joy and gratefulness for such an extraordinary experience of stepping on a muddy and slippery area.

Mr. Rolando Villapaz, FLA Coordinator, realized that, “this kind of activity is the first time in which the care for life focuses on the care of nature, as part of our being steward of the creation of God.” This is their way of caring for creation as their response to the call to support life, for creation is life.

They were inspired by the prayers and blessing of Fr. Bong Gonzaga, Parish Priest, in asking for the guidance of the Holy Trinity. They understood their pastor’s hope “to strengthen through cooperation among parents so that they may become good examples to their children.”

Touched by the theme of this year’s celebration of the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines, these parishioners manifest their being stewards in taking care of our home, God’s creation. Being gifted to give, they hope that the area where they planted mangroves may become a breeding ground for sea life.

The said apostolates journey together as a community along with the conviction of the importance of deepening the pastoral presence of the Church, with the care for the mother earth as one of our priorities and responsibility for an authentic natural and human ecology, based on the Gospel of justice, solidarity, and stewardship.

The declaration of Pope Francis that every first of September is dedicated to the World Day of Prayer for the care for creation. In his encyclical letter – Laudato Si, he reminds people that “living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience” (217). (Bro. Soren H. Abellanosa)