The creativity amongst student entries were of a high caliber and all students are to be commended for their superb efforts! (Photo: Submission by Bella, Year 9, Sacred Heart College NZ)
This year’s Season of Creation Competition received over 200 entries from Catholic students in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Creative art pieces, inspiring poems, and powerful essays were submitted by rightfully proud teachers, all of whom successfully guided and encouraged their students to reflect deeply on the theme of being at “Peace with Creation.”
From Catholic Primary Schools to Secondary Colleges, the message was clear, peace with creation requires human attentiveness and care for the world around us to which we also belong.
Peace with creation is looking after God’s Earth and being its guardian – Layla, Year 9 (Sacred Heart College, NZ)
To take care of creation we need to use more sustainable items for our world and spend more time outside to reconnect with the nature God created – Edison, Grade 5 (St Jospeh’s Catholic School, Mundingburra QLD)
Pope Francis invited Catholics to renew our hope and discover a vision that can restore access of the earth’s fruit to everyone – Grade 5 student (Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, Carnes Hill NSW)
A student shows how care for creation can create inter-religious dialogue between different faiths
My picture shows people from different religions planting seeds and watering plants together, signifying that though we may believe in different gods, we are still one and should care for earth and each other – Lucas I, Grade 6 (St Vincent de Paul, Strathmore VIC)
Let us act upon stewardship, through worship’s light and fellowship. As God once said, nurture the lands, the skies and the seas. Finally, the world is quiet with ease - Meagan N, Year 7 (St Columba’s College, Essendon VIC)
At our school, we strive to implement sustainable practices that combat climate change and help to preserve our local environment. We switch off our fans, recycling bottles, we host a renewable energy club which advocates sustainable practices to conserve our environment, collect rainwater for our school’s use, and plant vegetables and Mahogony Trees to beautify our environment – Xavier College Students, Ba Town, Fiji Islands
A turtle swims amongst coral reefs searching for jellyfish, but they sometimes mistake plastic pollution for food and slowly die of suffocation. Photo: Pixabay.
My poem shows imagery of coral reefs and turtles, reflecting local biodiversity as both are native to Australian waters and ecosystems. The pollution relates to our lifestyle choices and how thoughtless actions can kill our wildlife – Maddison, Year 8 (Mount St Benedict, Pennant Hills NSW)
The Columban Season of Creation Competition continues to grow not only in numbers but in depth and detail of the submissions by students throughout the region, making it quite a difficult task to choose the final prizewinners.
Yet after much deliberation, these were selected, and a range of prizes were delivered to schools along with participation certificates for all participants. This year’s entries highlight the dedication of Catholic educators to engage their students in responding to the Church’s call to care for our common home.
In response, students have dug deep and responded with observations of the world they stand to inherit and provided practical solutions while solidly identifying these actions with their Catholic spirituality – it is all indeed, an interconnected web of life that has been created by a God who loves all he has created. Thank you to all the schools, educators, and students who participated in this year’s competition. Your voices through art, poetry, and essays demonstrate that you are pilgrims of hope carrying the light of Christ out into the world.
We look forward to hosting this event again in 2026 and encourage more schools to submit entries that can win their students prizes but more importantly provide learning opportunities to develop their creative and critical thinking on the climate crisis of our times. The Columban Missionary Society is committed to building platforms that carry the voices of our children in solidarity with our mission priority of protecting God’s creation and biodiversity.
Woodwork entry with a reflection on the Trinity and creation. Photo: Submission by Lexi, Year 9, Sacred Heart College NZ.
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
