“Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”, Pope Francis begins his Encyclical Laudato Si, on the earth as Our Common Home, referring to the canticle of St. Francis.
As the people of Kenya prepare to welcome Pope Francis, for his first visit to Africa from November 25 – 30, a reflection on the beauty of God’s creation and practical involvement of all us as stewards of the environment is the gift we can give to the Holy Father.
In Kenya, Mother Earth Network, which is led by the Franciscan Order and Chaired by Fr. Herman Borg, has embarked on practical steps in responding to Pope Francis’ appeal that mother earth is “crying for help”.
As way of offering the gift to Pope Francis and honoring his visit to Kenya, Mother Earth Network, in collaborating with Tangaza College in Nairobi, intends to plant about 12,000 trees on an area of about 30 acres. While the people of Lower Subukia want to honor the Holy Father by offering to plant 50,000 trees during the next 6 months, which is 10 trees per family.
Apart from this initiative, Mother Earth Network has gone further to work with relevant institutions to propose the new Forest of Kasarani Sports Complex. An area of 700 acres has been chosen to create a new forest of about 300,000 trees in a densely populated suburb of Nairobi. It is here where Pope Francis will meet the Youth and on this occasion, a great chance is given to inaugurate the tree-planting activity at Kasarani. It is hoped that this will turn into a public commitment after the example of Pope Francis.
In a report by Br. Hermann Borg, OFM, “Mother Earth would like to see the initiatives of the Holy Father spread throughout the whole world. Our Globe is in danger. Climate change, pollution, deforestation, danger for air and water, for health and life are some most urgent issues to arise. Now is the time for further response and action. Humanity can become much more creative than it has been in the past. The Globe belongs to all people. Nature belongs to all people. Air and water are resources for all people of God.”
In the Message, Br. Borg appealed to all people of Good Will to cooperate and to put efforts together to plan for action. He appealed to governments and institutions, to people in authority and management, in leadership and responsibility to act together in order to promote the care for the environment.
Mother Earth Network (M-e-net) is an international platform to plan for collective local, national and international advocacy, capacity building and awareness on environmental issues. Care for CREATION, for - MOTHER EARTH - has been an issue of concern for all Franciscans since the time of Francis himself. He is the chosen PATRON OF CREATION. Franciscans invite members of all FAITHS and people of Good Will to join the network to give care for Mother Earth a new push.
The mother Earth Network is composed of civil societies, corporate bodies, faith-based organizations, government agencies and institutions of learning involved in Environmental conservation and management to provide advocacy synergies, dialogue and information sharing on issues affecting environment in Kenya.
By Br. Hermann Borg, OFM, Chairman Mother Earth Network; Edited by AMECEA Online News Correspondent