Season for the Care of Creation Assembly ~ Staff Notes for Slides

Slide Content Staff Notes1 1st September is a Day of Prayer for the Care

of Creation.It marks the start of the Season for the Care of Creation, which extends until 4th October, the Feast of St Francis. This year’s theme is: JUBILEE FOR THE EARTH, which recalls Leviticus 25:8-22 in which God required the faithful to celebrate a ‘Jubilee Year’. During this time liberty was proclaimed, God’s creation was not to be farmed, slaves were to be set free and land would be returned to the rightful owner. This was to remind everyone that the fruits of creation belong to God alone, and that He provides what we need.It is our annual Christian celebration of prayer and action for our common home – the earth.It seems even more important than ever this year…It is a chance to renew, repair and restore our relationship with God, the earth and each other. (Click on link on slide to 1 min intro film to Season of Creation. NB: SKIP ADVERTS.)

2 Invite a pupil/s to read the passage from Genesis 1:27-31.God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all the living creatures that move on earth.’ God also said, ‘Look, to you I give all the seed-bearing plants everywhere on the surface of the earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit; this will be your food. And to all the wild animals, all the birds of heaven and all the living creatures that creep along the ground, I give all the foliage of the plants as their food.’ And so it was. God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. The word of the Lord.(Click on You Tube link on slide for hymn; Morning Has Broken. NB: Skip Adverts).

3 Ask pupils how would you look after a very precious gift that was given to you by the person who loves you most in all the world?What would you do if it got damaged?What would you do if you grew too old for it?ANSWERS:You would protect it.Keep it safe.Love and admire it.Lovingly repair it & put it together again.Pass it on for someone else to enjoy and love it as much as you had.

4 God has entrusted His greatest gift to us – His Creation – the Earth. We are stewards of the Earth.God’s work is in our hands.There is a deep connection between humans and Creation.We are all created in the image of God, which gives us our dignity.All our actions have effects on the planet & on our brothers and sisters across the world.

5 Ask pupils how we have mistreated God’s special gift to us.ANSWERS INCLUDE:

Pollution. Greed. Waste. Selfishness. Forgotten about God.

6 Ask pupils what this has led to.ANSWERS INCLUDE:

Climate Change. Poverty. Extinction of some species &

resources. Loneliness and isolation. Separation from God.

7 Pope Francis has gone to great lengths to encourage us to be good stewards and care for Creation, especially in his letter to the world – Laudato Si, which is all about caring for our Common Home.‘With you the world can be different. Unless you offer the best of yourselves, the world will never be different’.Pope Francis has great belief in you - young people – to make a difference and change the world!

8 Caritas is the “home charity” of our Diocese.Caritas manages over 22 services and projects to support the most needy who are most affected by our unfair world.Caritas are part of Bishop John’s Laudato Si’ Project Team, turning the grounds at Wardley Hall into a special eco-centre of excellence.Caritas supports school and parish eco projects.Caritas works with young people in schools like ours through their special Caritas Ambassador Scheme to develop young leaders who will grow up caring and taking action about the world they live in.Caritas brings together different groups to share good ideas and initiatives.

9 The Lalley Centre is based in Collyhurst, Manchester.It is a centre for families and offers advice and has a Foodbank.It is a great example of how Caritas projects encourage us to care for Our Common Home.It has a special allotment which is gives people without a garden the chance to learn about and grow healthy fruit and vegetables.They also run activity days which is a fun way for children to be out in the fresh air learning how to grow their own food.Some of the people who volunteer at the allotment say that it has helped them to find a new purpose in their life and given them confidence because they have learnt new skills.As Ladislav, the allotment manager says, “The allotment needs you but you may find that you need the allotment.”

10 Ask pupils how they can care for Creation: At school? At home? In their local community? In the wider world?

11 Talk through points on slide and any other ideas pupils suggest.

12 Earlier this year to celebrate Laudato Si Week in back in May, Bishop John recorded a message just for you about the trust he is placing in you to care for Our Common Home and for you to become the teachers at home.He invites you to tell your parents about what you’ve learnt about Laudato Si' in school and to find ways of caring for our common home in our own households.

(Click on link on slide to show Bishop John film).

13 Let us pray together a shortened version of Pope Francis’ Prayer For Our Earth.(To finish click on link on slide to show What A Wonderful World clip from You Tube. NB: SKIP ADVERTS.)

14 To find out how you can support any Caritas Projects or for further

information about Caritas Ambassadors or Caritas In Action, please contact Kath Ansley k.ansley@caritassalford.org.uk

Some suggested hymns & songs (NB: Please be very alert to the adverts on You Tube which may appear

before the following and which may be unsuitable viewing):All Creatures of our God and King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d3gO6qDLNAAll things bright and beautiful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxDFgnGz-YMorning Has Broken https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-n-Zmglt0How Great Thou Art https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48i4l1715ucWho Put the Colours in the Rainbow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9GsKFIaRo0Harvest For the World ~ Isley Brothers (Dignity of Human Person; Family & Community; Solidarity & Common Good; Subsidiarity; Option for the Poor; Stewardship).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-v6gFWQYF4What a Wonderful World ~ Louis Armstrong (Dignity of the Human Person; Stewardship; Solidarity and the Common Good)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRONFXoXsJ0Saltwater ~ Julian Lennon (Stewardship).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGQiqq9N1jo