The Season of Creation starts on September 1st (World day of prayer for the care of Creation) and goes to October 4th (Feast of St. Francis of Assisi). It is an ecumenical time that was initiated by the Orthodox Patriarch Dimitri I in 1989 and then taken up by other Christian churches and officially recognized by the Pope for the Catholic Church in 2015.
For 2023, Pope Francis has retained the theme:
“Let Justice and Peace flow”
Inspired by the words of the prophet Amos: “Let justice flow on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (5:24), the symbol for this year is “a mighty river” out of which flows “justice and peace”.
We are therefore invited to join in this river of justice and peace, living in peace and justice, building positive and fruitful relationships with God, ourselves, humanity, and the whole of creation.
Let us prepare ourselves to unite with our Christian brothers and sisters and all people of good will. Together, pray and act for justice for humanity and for the planet as Francis has invited us to do in his letter on creation (May 25, 2023).
“In this Season of Creation, as followers of Christ on our shared synodal journey, let us live, work and pray that our common home will teem with life once again. May the Holy Spirit once more hover over the waters and guide our efforts to “renew the face of the earth” (cf. Ps 104:30).
Sr Anne-Marie Mabon
Helpful resources to live the Season of Creation in 2023 can be found on the following website:
https://seasonofcreation.org/