Pope Francis releases his intention to pray for the month of September and invites us to pray so that everyone can make decisions that promote a simple and sustainable lifestyle.
By Devin Watkins
When the Church begins the annual season of creation on September 1, Pope Francis invites everyone to pray for “a sustainable lifestyle with the environment.”
In the September video The Pope, he kept the example of environmentally conscious young people.
“It makes me very happy to see that young people have the courage to undertake environmental and social improvement projects as the two go together,” he said.
Reflection on our impact on the planet
Pope Francis added that adults can learn a lot from young people, as they are often at the forefront of issues “related to caring for the planet.”
“We take his example and reflect on our lifestyle, especially during these times of health, social and environmental crisis,” he said.
We should take the opportunity to reflect on “the way we eat, consume, travel, or use water, energy, plastics, and many other material goods,” especially those that are harmful to the environment. environment.
“We decided to change!” urged the Pope. “We are moving forward with young people towards simpler and more environmentally friendly lifestyles.”
Pray for brave decisions
Pope Francis once again called on everyone to look to young people and their commitment to their own future.
“We pray that we all make brave decisions, the necessary choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, inspired by our young people who are firmly committed to it,” he said.
The future of the planet that young people will inherit is exactly what is in balance, the Pope concluded.
Urgent action is required
A statement from the Pope’s World Prayer Network, which prepares for The Pope Video each month, noted that the September prayer intention fits a long line of invitations Pope Francis has urged people to live in a simpler way.
“The need for urgent action to combat the social and environmental crisis is nothing new,” the statement said. “There are more and more global alerts to try to make humanity aware that something needs to change.”
He also referred to a United Nations report published in June that warned that the planet “is rapidly reaching a” point of no return “” and faces the three threats of “biodiversity loss, climate disruption and escalation. of pollution “.
The Pope’s insistence on comprehensive ecology, according to the statement, recalls that “everything is interconnected in our lives” and that words are not enough to “protect our common home.”