{"id":3916,"date":"2026-09-30T11:30:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T06:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/?p=3916"},"modified":"2026-09-30T11:30:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T06:00:36","slug":"ecology-apostolate-caring-for-gods-wonderful-creation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/ecology-apostolate-caring-for-gods-wonderful-creation\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecology Apostolate: Caring for God\u2019s Wonderful Creation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWhat a Wonderful World\u201d<\/em> \u2014 the familiar song, beautifully sung by Louis Armstrong, invites us to pause and look around. The green of the trees, the colours of flowers, birds in the sky, the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the sea all remind us of the wonderful world God has entrusted to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe earth is the Lord\u2019s, and everything in it.\u201d \u2013 Psalm 24:1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Season of Creation, celebrated from 1 September to 4 October, is a special time to give thanks for the gift of creation and renew our commitment to care for our common home. This year, the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman celebrates the Season of Creation under the theme \u201cLiving Waters: From the Sanctuary to the World,\u201d inspired by the words of the prophet Ezekiel 47: 9 – \u201cEverything will live where the river flows.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Season concludes on 4 October, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, who loved and respected all of God\u2019s creatures and saw creation as a reflection of the Creator\u2019s goodness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

We Are Part of Creation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ecology is about the relationship between living things and the world in which they live. We are all connected in a beautiful web of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water makes this connection especially clear. The water we drink, the rain that nourishes the earth, the rivers and wells that sustain our communities, and the seas that surround us are all gifts of God. Water gives life to trees, plants, birds, animals, insects and human beings. Where water flows, life flourishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet water is increasingly threatened by pollution, waste and careless use. When rivers, wells, ponds, wetlands and oceans are harmed, the effects reach far beyond the water itself. They affect people, animals, plants and future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Responsibility as Stewards<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

God has entrusted creation to humanity. We are not its owners, free to use it without limits; we are stewards, called to care for what God has placed in our hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our stewardship begins with simple choices. We can avoid wasting water and food, reduce unnecessary plastic, keep our surroundings clean, protect water sources, plant and care for trees, and respect birds, animals and insects. We can use electricity responsibly and think carefully about what we buy, consume and throw away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These actions may seem small, but when families, young people, parishes and communities make them together, they can bring meaningful change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Archdiocese has also encouraged a movement from prayer to action, reminding us that caring for creation is not simply an environmental concern but part of our Christian vocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Wonder to Gratitude \u2014 and Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the first step towards caring for creation is simply to notice it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to the birds. Watch the rain. Look at a tree, a butterfly or the evening sky. Notice the water that flows from a tap, fills a well or falls from the clouds. Think of our rivers, springs, lakes and the vast sea that surrounds Goa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we recognize creation as God’s gift, gratitude grows in our hearts. And gratitude leads us to responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Season of Creation, let us not only admire the beauty around us, but also protect it. Let the Living Waters remind us that where water is protected, life can flourish; where creation is respected, communities can thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us move from wonder to gratitude, from gratitude to prayer, and from prayer to action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creation is God’s gift to all of us. Caring for it is our responsibility, our privilege and an expression of our love for the Creator. May the living waters flow from our homes, our parishes and our communities, bringing life, hope and renewal to our common home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-Bazia DCosta e Ferrao-<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhat a Wonderful World\u201d \u2014 the familiar song, beautifully sung by Louis Armstrong, invites us to pause and look around. The green of the trees, the colours of flowers, birds in the sky, the warmth of the sun and the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pormoll"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3916"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3917,"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3916\/revisions\/3917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}