The Ghana Chapter of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability (CYNESA) has launched this year’s season of creation with a call on Catholics in particular to pay attention to the health of the environment.

Speaking at the launch on August 27 at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Accra, Country Representative of the group, Francisca Ziniel urged Christians to let their actions and inactions be tilted towards the direction of curbing the world’s current climate crisis as prescribed by the Pope’s encyclical Laudato Si.

In his message for this year’s Season of creation, Pope Francis urges all to “Dwell on those heartbeats: our own and those of our mothers and grandmothers, the heartbeat of creation and the heartbeat of God. Today they do not beat in harmony; they are not harmonized in justice and peace. Too many of our brothers and sisters are prevented from drinking from that mighty river. Let us heed our call to stand with the victims of environmental and climate injustice, and to put an end to the senseless war against creation.”

He challenges that people of the world “Add to the flow of this mighty river by transforming our lifestyles. Starting from grateful wonder at the Creator and his creation, let us repent of our ‘ecological sins'”

This year’s Season of Creation is expected to commence with a series of activities from September 1 through to October 4 on the theme, “Let Justice and Peace Flow”.

About CYNESA

Inspired by St. Pope John Paul II’s 1990 message for World Day of Peace, in which he called for the need to upscale ecological awareness and to find fitting expression in concrete programs and initiatives, young Catholics from Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Ghana and South Africa among others drawn from and representing university chaplaincies and parish groups, joined up to respond to this invitation, and to set up the Africa-wide Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA) in January 2012.

CYNESA is a platform for all young Catholics in Africa, promoting responsible stewardship of the environment.

The group, as part of its mission, is preparing a youth toolkit on climate change that draws from scripture, Ignatian Spirituality, scientific research and Catholic social teaching.

It seeks to establish and build relationships with like-minded partners, train young Catholics in advocacy on environmental sustainability, and link different initiatives on the continent.

It also encourages young people to act in their parishes, schools and within their youth movements by developing appropriate sustainable practices to conserve resources.

CYNESA Ghana is under the auspices of the Arrupe Jesuit Institute which has Rev. Fr. Kpanie Addy, SJ as director.

Watch the video of the launch below