How KK Archdiocese celebrates 50th Earth Day during Movement Control Order?

KOTA KINABALU – Despite still being under the Movement Control Order, it does not hinder the Archdiocesan Creation Justice Commission (CJC) to hold programs to celebrate the 50^th Earth Day on Apr 22.

As a response to both Pope Francis’ Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ and the Archdiocesan Mission statement, CJC and its youth-wing, Eco-Outreach Team, have organized several online activities as an effort to appreciate earth, to instil a sense of responsibility and to increase awareness among parishioners to care for the environment.

CJC Coordinator, Sr Calista Saliun, is inviting all parishioners under KK Archdiocese to take part in the Earth Day program outlined by the commission from their own home as a way to sow awareness in the family of the importance of caring for the environment.

How do they propose to celebrate Earth Day? A series of activities will be held the whole day of Apr 22 involving families and individuals. Among those in the list are Praying for the Earth, demo on candle-making using used-oil, seedlings planting, demo on erosion due to forest cutting, demo on ‘upcycle’ project using old clothes, Laudato Si’ Earth Day poster competition, online screen of the Laudato Si’ Mi Signore song and a video clip showcasing activities by CJC and EOTeam.

KK Archdiocesan Creation Justice Commission invites parishioners to celebrate 50^th Earth Day through various online activities organized on Apr 22.

These programs will be carried out according to the time specified on that day, in their Facebook page “Commission for Creation Justice of Kota Kinabalu” and Instagram “Eco-Outreach Team”.

In his Earth Day message, Fr Russel Lawrine, CJC Spiritual Advisor, invites all to pay attention to our beloved earth and to unite and walk together in mission in order to revive it from further destruction. The way to do that is to respond to this year’s Earth Day’s theme ‘Climate Action’.  

To realize the response, Fr Lawrine said action must begin with ourselves, changing our lifestyle and bad habits that contributed to environmental degradation. 

“Each change that we undertake, whether it’s big or small, will largely impact our life and also to this earth. What is more important is the commitment in each action that we take to save it,” said Fr Lawrine.

Sr Calista said each person has a responsibility to care and to preserve earth as it is a home not only for this generation but for the next one. We can each collaborate with one another as God’s instrument to care for His creation according to our own culture, experiences, involvement and talents (Laudato Si’ no 14).

Log in to Facebook Commission for Creation Justice of Kota Kinabalu for more information on the 50^th Earth Day program. – Christina David