Catholic Dioceses in DR Congo Launch Season of Creation With Call for Integral Ecology

Kisantu launches “Green Church” initiative

The ecological commitment extended to Kongo Central Province, where the Diocese of Kisantu marked September 7 with a Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.

Under the patronage of Bishop Jean Crispin Kimbeni Ki Kanda, the initiative seeks to establish Kisantu as an example of integral ecology under the slogan, “Kisantu Green Church: One Tree, One Life, One Hope!”

Drawing inspiration from Isaiah 2:4 — “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks” — Bishop Kimbeni said Christian faith cannot remain indifferent to the fate of creation, described as humanity’s common home.

In the presence of Clergy, Consecrated Persons and the faithful, the Catholic Bishop called for genuine ecological conversion, stressing that the earth is a precious gift from the Creator that must be protected, cultivated and responsibly handed on to future generations.

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Young people were given a prominent role in the initiative. Surrounded by young people from different parishes, Bishop Kimbeni himself knelt to plant the first trees, offering a symbolic example of leadership in ecological action.

Through the gesture, the Catholic Bishop encouraged young people to become “actors and artisans” of the ecological movement, insisting that love for nature must be translated into concrete action.

Such action includes reforestation, planting trees to combat erosion, proper waste disposal, cleaning communities, protecting ecosystems, and promoting environmental education from an early age.

The Kisantu initiative places particular emphasis on waste management and preservation of the natural landscape, stressing that environmental degradation harms creation and compromises the future of coming generations.

The Church’s message is that ecological responsibility cannot be limited to statements by Church leaders or occasional campaigns. Every member of society has a role to play, from parents and community leaders to young people and schoolchildren.

“Every action counts” is at the heart of the initiative: planting a tree today can provide shade and cleaner air while offering hope to future generations.

The celebration had initially been scheduled for September 1 but was postponed to September 7 following a decision by CENCO, allowing the Season of Creation to be inaugurated simultaneously across dioceses in the DRC.