Season of Creation invites Christians to listen to nature's cries

With floods and fires raging, Season of Creation invites Christians to listen to nature's cries

With the 2022 Season of Creation carrying the theme "listening to the voice of creation," it was only natural for the Missionary Society of St. Columban to relaunch its podcast on biodiversity loss.

"We noticed that was not being talked about within the church," said Wesley Cocozello, host and producer of the podcast and communications manager for the Columbans' U.S.-based justice, peace and integrity of creation team. "We are talking more and more about climate change, but that kind of holistic approach to creation that takes into account not just the climate but ecosystems and non-human animals was something that we felt was missing and wanted to bring into the conversation."

Listening to overlooked or unheard voices across nature is a central element for this year's Season of Creation, an annual period of Christian observance to pray and care for God's creation. The season began Sept. 1, the World Day of Prayer for Creation, and concludes Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.

Read more at EarthBeat.

More background:

• In his message for the Season of Creation, the pope proposed that an ecological conversion must occur not only among individuals but within "the community of nations," with particular attention to United Nations conferences focused on addressing climate change and rapid biodiversity loss.

---

Bishop Cantú, theologian Cathleen Kaveny discuss McElroy's cardinalatial appointment

Pope Francis on Aug. 27 elevated San Diego's Bishop Robert McElroy to the rank of cardinal, along with 19 other Catholic prelates from around the world.

NCR columnist Michael Sean Winters sat down in Rome with San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantú and theologian Cathleen Kaveny to discuss the importance of Francis' strategic decision to promote McElroy to this esteemed position.

Read more and watch the video here.

More background:

• Catch up with all of our coverage of the 2022 consistory here.

---

More headlines

• At Global Sisters Report, The Life panelists answer the question: Why do you stay in religious life? What gives you hope? Read part one here. You can find all of The Life series here.

• ICYMI: Ahead of the consistory that inducted Cardinal Leonardo Steiner into the College of Cardinals as its first member from the Amazon region, the Franciscan archbishop of Manaus, Brazil, said that the greatest threat to the Amazon and its Indigenous peoples is violence perpetrated by outsiders.

• ICYMI: Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, said he continues to have confidence in the Synodal Path of the Catholic Church in Germany, adding he trusted the German bishops "that they know what they are doing."