Sr. Anne Carbon is praying for COP26 world leaders. She is a member of the Missionary Sisters of St. Columban, presently working in Pakistan. She participates in her congregation’s Laudato Si’ Animating Team and has been a Laudato Si’ Animator since May 2020.
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My personal eco-conversion and passion to care for our Mother Earth deepened around the time of lockdown last year.
I had the chance to attend many thought-provoking webinars organized by different groups, especially by the Laudato Si’ Movement.
And because of the lockdown, I had the chance to read the Laudato Si’ encyclical by Pope Francis in depth! This inspired and awakened my commitment to join others to do something for our common home.
We have used social media a lot for sharing and communicating the congregation’s and other groups’ advocacy efforts. It is inspiring to see many concerted efforts and actions done by thousands of people and organizations around the globe.
And I truly believe that this gigantic problem can only be addressed if we are together and in solidarity with one another despite our religious differences and beliefs. We need a systemic change.
“In view of the common good, there is an urgent need for politics and economics to enter into a frank dialogue in the service of life, especially human life” (LS 189).
Our congregation signed the Healthy Planet, Healthy People petition as an institution.
I was well aware of the upcoming United Nations 26th Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, and I thought that perhaps in the Christian colony where I work, we could also gather some signatures as a symbolic gesture from this part of the globe and unite ourselves with Catholics all over the world in joining Pope Francis’ voice in calling each of us to work for ecological and climate justice.
I talked with our parish priest about celebrating the Season of Creation, creating our Abraham tent, signing the petition, and organizing other activities during the month of September.
Luckily, I received very warm support from our parish priest, who is a Franciscan.
Every Sunday in September, he incorporated the Season of Creation in his homily and encouraged people to sign the Healthy Planet, Healthy People petition.
The catechists and leaders of the parish team gathered the signatures and on the last Sunday of the ecumenical and global Season of Creation, where we had a special Sunday liturgy, we offered the signed petition at the offertory procession.
I pray for all our world leaders meeting in Glasgow, that they may be key instruments in bringing the systemic change needed for the good of our common home.
