ZAMBIA: Mansa Diocese Announces 2023 Theme: ‘A Year of Care and Protection of Mother Earth’
BISHOP CHISANGA
Mwenya Mukuka
The Diocese of Mansa in Zambia has announced its 2023 theme as a Year of Care and Protection of Mother Earth, Our Common Home.
Mansa Diocese local ordinary Rt. Rev. Patrick Chisanga, OFM Conv. made this announcement in his 2022 advent message in which he said that the declaration of Diocesan Year of the Care and Protection of Mother Earth, Our Common Home as the Pastoral Theme of the ecclesiastical year is to be launched on Saturday, 17th December 2022.
Bishop Chisanga explained that the pastoral theme draws its primary inspiration from the Encyclical Letter of Pope Francis (2015) on the Care of Our Common Home, popularly known as Laudato Si’ (Praised be you [my Lord] in the local dialect of Umbria in Italy in which St Francis of Assisi composed his praises of God through and with the elements of creation (- 1224-1226).
“The theme is aimed at enhancing the common responsibility God has given to humanity over the whole created order (Genesis 1:28) through sensitization and deliberate action to prevent further degradation of planet earth, our common and only home,” he said.
“Through his Canticle of Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi invites us to be aware of our intimate connection with the whole created order with God as our common originating source and Father. Indeed, to view creation only in terms of ecology, nature, botany and biology is to see ourselves apart from God’s creation rather than being part of His creation,” he added.
Bishop Chisanga further hoped that the announced Pastoral theme will draw Christians deeper into fraternal communion with the entire creation and make them more responsible and caring stewards of this God-given gift of a common home, the planet Earth.
The Diocese of Mansa has just concluded celebrating the Year of the Elderly under the theme drawn from the Fourth Commandment of God to “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land” (Exodus 20:12).
The elderly were placed at the centre of all pastoral activities throughout the Diocese.
Bishop Chisanga praised God through every element of creation as the ecclesiastical year in which the Diocese commits to the Care and Protection of Mother Earth.
“On the practical everyday life level, it is expected that this theme translates into such actions as planting a tree, not cutting trees or burning the forests indiscriminately, throwing garbage, especially plastic materials only in designated places, not wasting water, turning off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances when not in use, using only authorised methods of fishing and allowing for breeding, conservation farming and use of organic rather than chemical fertilisers,” he said.
He added that effects of climate change are real and being experienced globally, including Luapula region where the diocese is located.
“Unpredictable weather patterns such as extremes of temperatures, floods and droughts are becoming a frequent phenomenon every year. Together we can reverse this negative trend and restore Mother Earth, our common and only home to her original beauty and splendour as the haven of peace and tranquillity for humanity,” Bishop Chisanga said.
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