New York, USA. On March 27, the Claretian Missionaries joined the world community to participate in Earth Hour. For one hour, everyone turned off their electric lights to remember that nature and our planet are our Common Home.
This initiative was launched in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, by the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and its partners, with a symbolic act of turning off the lights. It gradually became a global call for personal and community awareness of the problem of climate change. In addition to the support of the United Nations, this annual event and its mission is supported by various cities, corporations, organizations and religious sites among its participants.
This symbolic act is a call to political leaders and big business to take action on Climate Change. By expressing concern for the health of the planet, awareness was raised about the importance of nature and actions inspired for a better future for the Common Home and all beings who inhabit it.
This year several Claretian communities joined together, for an hour unplugged, so to speak, organizing special activities or simply carrying out their usual work by candlelight in solidarity with others around the world, in what is described as an “hour of inspiration”. The Claretian communities carried out various activities, such as prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, liturgical prayers, recitation of the Rosary, community meetings, interpersonal dialogues, community meals and construction of symbols in the midst of darkness; all to launch a voice of hope. Thus, the General Curia community in Rome held its monthly community meeting by candlelight, while the Heart of Mary Seminary in Kupang, Indonesia, celebrated the birthday of a community member during its Earth Hour.
We received photos of the celebration from:
On the Facebook page of the Claretian Team at the UN, you can find all the photos of the different Claretian acts that were organized to join this “Earth Hour”.
We welcome and encourage many more to join our next “Earth Hour”, that is the last Saturday of March, next year (March 26, 2022) at 20:30 local time.
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