Mission World - September 2016

Laudato Si’ is inspiring young people in Pakistan

A woman & her children from Jhirruk, Pakistan collecting fresh water. To care for God’s Creation as well as for the poor and marginalized of society was the main theme that emerged at a seminar for youth people held in April, 2016, by the Archdiocese of Lahore on Pope Francis’s Encyclical on the environment and human ecology, Laudato Si’. It was organized by Caritas Pakistan and by Fr Jahanzeb Iqbal of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Youth Service.

Columban Fr Liam O'Callaghan led the youth and helped them reflect on how to protect our 'common house', our planet Earth. Among the practical suggestions that the youth committed themselves to, were:

  • To plant trees in select areas,
  • To avoid wasting water,
  • To keep their local environment clean from rubbish,
  • To be aware of the danger of consumerism,
  • To share what we have with the poor

Fr Liam O'Callaghan said that the Episcopal Conference of Pakistan has a project to translate Laudato Si’ into Urdu, the principle language of the country. The Church in Pakistan wants this encyclical to become better known in all the dioceses, parishes, Catholic movements and associations in Pakistan.

Fr Liam explained that Laudato Si’ had also been accepted in a favourable light by many Muslim groups.

“In fact the ecological issues are also deeply religious and spiritual issues and can be a common ground and a meeting point with Muslims, when discussed from an inter-religious perspective.”

The seminar finished with the young people being invited to work together with everyone interested in raising awareness in society of the need to protect our common home. The young people were invited to be good examples to others on how to protect our mother earth.

Mission Intention for September
That by participating in the Sacraments and meditating on Scripture, Christians may become more aware of their mission to evangelize.


Read more from The Far East, September 2016