by Father Xavier Bandya for BISMumbai

Worldwide we are keeping the Season of Creation from 1st September to 4th October 2021. We are the part of creation God has given us this gift as our home to nurture it and have concern for it. On 04 October, 2021, church celebrates the feast day of St Francis of Assisi. He was a pious figure who cared about environment and wildlife, and he made it his mission to spread awareness through his words and deeds. He is the patron saint of Ecology. In present situation Pope Francis inviting whole world to do same, with same zeal Pope Francis in the Spirituality of St Francis of Assisi, asks us to care for creation.

Don Bosco Chakan along with all the students (youth) have celebrated the feast day of St Francis of Assisi with a small visit to a small hill closer to our place. The youth took this opportunity to enjoy the environment. They had been invited to feel the nature around them and thank the lord for the wonder of his creation. They have been asked to experience since they hold immense part of creation. In gratefulness the youth enjoyed the creation and the self being as creation.

Along with these they also have everyday work in the campus, trying to keep the campus clean and also grow some vegetables in our garden. Many of them have the farming background and they know how to take care of creation since they have learned from their ancestors. They have been great help for our community (for our house) as they render their help in the environment cleaning and planting beautiful saplings and vegetables in our campus.

To observe the World Day of Prayer for Creation, the young students of Don Bosco Technical Centre, Chakan visited a hillock near the institute. Father Xavier Bandya highlighted the concept of God’s creation and how human beings are placed in the centre of God’s plan to take care of the environment. Being the memorial of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology, the youth also reflected upon the saint’s pious figure who cared for the environment and wildlife, and that he made it his mission to spread awareness through his words and deeds.

Upon the hill, the lush green carpet of grass surrounded by trees and overlooking the Bhama river, the youth enjoyed the refreshing environment and thanked the Lord for the wonder of his creation. Each one being part of God’s creation, this understanding makes a deep impression as God has created human beings in his own image and likeness.

In gratitude to God’s creation, the young people at Chakan have begun to maintain and take care of the campus cleaning. Having agricultural background, some of them have laboured on the farm helping their parents at home. They have seeding ready of coriander and of okra. Faithfully taking care of these seedlings and asking the Lord of the harvest to bless its growth.