Church marks ‘World Day of Prayer’ with cleaning campaign
SIBU: Sacred Heart Cathedral kicked off ‘ World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ with a cleaning campaign yesterday.
The event, organised by the cathedral’s Youth Ministry, was joined by hundreds of local Catholics.
The event started with a mass celebrated by Bishop of Sibu Right Rev Joseph Hii at the cathedral at 7am, followed by the cleaning-up of various places including Jalan Bukit Assek, Jalan Tong Sang, Lanang Lane 1, Jalan Chengal, Jalan Amoy, Mengris Lane, Jalan Rhu and Jalan Kapor.
Joining the cleaning campaign was Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang.
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation started yesterday and runs until Oct 4.
It was declared by Pope Francis in 2015 that during this period, every year, everyone should take the opportunity to care for the creation, to thank for the wonderful gifts of creation, and to ask for the protection of creation.
Hii said no one is excluded from creation as everyone is part and parcel of creation.
“We have the same element with those animals, but the difference between us and animals is that we have the intellect and that calls for great responsibility.
“Now, the whole creation is crying out for us because we had ‘raped’ them. There is nothing more urgent than the need to answer the cry of creation,” he pointed out, adding that when people are called to care, they are also called to love.
He stated that Pope Francis had said that during this period, individuals are encouraged to not just pray for creation, but to take action.
On the cleaning campaign, he said it was done as a profession of faith.
We have the same element with those animals, but the difference between us and animals is that we have the intellect and that calls for great responsibility. Right Rev Joseph Hii, Bishop of Sibu