Parishioners in Banbury helped mark the Season of Creation through an 'oasis of peace' evening where people gathered for prayers and short reflections.

Responding to Pope Francis' call for all Christians to “pray once more in the great cathedral of creation" and listen to the voice of creation, we decided to host a prayer service at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church that explicitly prayed for ecological conversion.

The event was also promoted among the Season of Creation's official events page where many resources can be found. Looking at other events on offer might inspire others for next year's season.

About 30 people attended the service that included Adoration and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. One of the reflective pieces was taken from Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' (2015), looking at how the natural world is part of our sacramental life:

"The Sacraments are a privileged way in which nature is taken up by God to become a means of mediating supernatural life. Through our worship of God, we are invited to embrace the world on a different plane. Water, oil, fire and colours are taken up in all their symbolic power and incorporated in our act of praise...Encountering God does not mean fleeing from this world or turning our back on nature" (paragraph 235).

As the Season of Creation officially ended on Tuesday 4 October 2022, our prayerful concern, of course, continues apace.

Fr Ryan Service