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The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office of the Franciscan Province of Chile, welcoming the invitation to celebrate the “Time for Creation”, has organized and coordinated various activities to be held between September 1 and October 4, in cooperation with different institutions.

The activities began on August 31, in the city of Angol, with a reflection and testimony round table named “Discussion, What is Solidarity?” and attended by people from various organizations from Angol, which aimed to: solidarity with elderlies, migrants, and environment care. On September 1, people accomplished the “Guided Echological Trekking” along the Rewe path, where furthermore native trees were planted. All these activities were carried out jointly with the “Fraternidad Solidaria” and the “Angol Environmental Committee”.

In Santiago city, on September 1, together with the “Ecumenical Coalition for the Care of Creation”, the Pilgrimage “The River’sClamor”,was held starting from the Franciscan Recoleta Convent. Several documentaries were screened, reporting the reality of water in Chile, both in the political Constitution and in concrete comunities, denouncing cases of violation of the right to water by the Chilean State and by private agents that affect the inhabitants and the environment. Subsequently, the pilgrimage began with the blessing of water.

A second moment was the reflection along Mapocho River, which goes through the entire city of Santiago, around the significance of the river in the history and life of the city, and around the importance of water in the development of the humankind, as well as of the urgency for care and protection of the vital element. Finally, the pilgrimage concluded with a prayer for the Earth, around the three “araucarias”, native trees and symbol of the Mapuche people, calling for the care of Creation, seeking justice for the originary peoples and for the peacebuilding among all of the nation’s inhabitants.

During the rest of the Time for Creation, our JPIC Office organized various activities in different fraternities. Reflection activity: “The ecological self, road towards an integral ecology” at San Felipe de Jesús Fraternity, Santiago; Prayer activity: “Mass for Creation”in San Antonio de Padua Parish, Santiago; Formation activity at Santa Clara de Placilla High School, V Region, about Recycling.

On October 13, there will be a Prayer Meeting for the care of creation and the cleaning of the Placilla lagoon (V Region); Ecological experience Laudato si’, coordinated with San Felipe de Jesús Young People House, near Río Clarillo, with a walk and reflection on integral ecology. We are inviting to participate with prayers, and those who can are also invited to be part in these activities, and particularly you are invited to take every day more care of the creation and construction of a more fraternal, just and peaceful humankind.

Bro. Máximo Cavieres Iturriaga, OFM
OFM JPIC Animator – Chile