Season of Creation 2025 – Parish Activities

Church of St Ignatius

Church of St Vincent de Paul

1. The Laudato Si’ Ministry from the Church of St Vincent de Paul came in full force at the recent Walk with Caritas Family charity event to champion their upcycling efforts.

Through creative and skillful sewing, ministry members gave new life to discarded fabrics, transforming them into practical and beautiful items such as bags and pouches.

Visitors were invited to take home these handcrafted pieces in exchange for a love offering, supporting both the ministry’s mission and the wider Caritas family.

2. 2025 Season of Creation: Using All Our Senses To Behold God in Prayer

Every year since 2022, the SVDP Laudato Si’ Ministry organises something for the parish to commemorate the Season of Creation, which starts 1 September, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.

This year, we took direction from our parish pastoral theme for 2025 “Pray with Me”, and decided to hold a prayer walk in nature on Thursday 11 September, facilitated by lay missionary, Nicholas Lye. The Incadence prayer walk invites participants to walk in step with the Lord and follow His rhythm as He moves us according to His heartbeat. Participants listen to Him speak through the things that we see, hear, touch, smell or encounter along the way, and are encouraged and loved by what He reveals to keep us going in this journey of life.

The day began with morning mass celebrated by Fr Paul in church. As we prayed “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150) during the responsorial psalm, we felt united with God’s creation even before stepping out of the church premises! Even St Francis of Assisi joined with us that morning as we sang his “Prayer of St Francis (Make me a channel of your peace)”. How wonderful it was to start the day in this way, and to later realise that 2025 Season of Creation’s theme is “Peace with Creation”!

What’s more, the day’s Gospel reading (Luke 6: 27-38) underlined the need for people of faith to work towards healing and reconciliation with one another - “To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other as well”, echoing the 2025 Season of Creation’s message of working towards healing and reconciliation with creation and the Creator.  

We felt God’s hand in arranging everything so wonderfully for us, in the choice of date, in the people who turned up and in the glorious cloudy weather that made it perfect for a walk in nature. After mass and a quick breakfast, lovingly prepared by Jane, Sandri, Julia, Teresa and Josephine, we made our way to Sengkang Riverside Park.

Before starting our walk, we were invited to centre ourselves and to use all the parts of our body and all of our senses intentionally to communicate with God. In all the sights, sounds, smells, we behold God who is always with us. As we embarked on the walk together, we were able to observe, share and be thankful for all that God has given us.

One participant, Doris, reflected that it was a refreshing introduction to a new way of prayer – “getting in touch with God via different Parts of our Body – from Head to Toes!!! Now Prayer to me is no longer just the rosary or set prayers like the Divine Mercy, etc.  Appreciating and being aware of God’s beautiful creation is PRAYER!!!”

Another participant, Cecily shared that “Many a times, when I pray I have no words. The words today have materialised from the feelings I have. Thank you to those who have shared during this time together. I have learned a new way to understand God's rhythm telling me that He loves me.”

Pope Leo, in his September prayer intention (For our relationship with Creation), prayed to God to “open our eyes to recognize You, learning from the mystery of Your closeness to all creation that the world is infinitely more than a problem to solve. It is a mystery to be contemplated with gratitude and hope.” (Watch here https://youtu.be/Z7eIwa8f64g?si=cIMeee40wSJcqInX)

This was indeed what many participants of the prayer walk encountered that day. In the words of gratitude expressed by one, “Thank Jesus for giving me this opportunity to walk with him and listen to him through the natural, telling me that he will be around me to listen to my prayer. Thank you, Jesus.” (Paul)

Church of the Transfiguration

On 3 August 2025, the Church of the Transfiguration (COTT) marked its Feast Day with a vibrant celebration themed “God-Centered Family with a Touch of Sustainability.”

Families took part in the Eco Bingo Challenge, where simple but meaningful actions such as choosing car-free travel, bringing their own containers, switching off lights, and praying the Laudato Si’ together, helped them earn Feast Day coupons.

The NEA “Recycle Right” game added an element of fun and awareness, while the Salva Terra booth showcased sustainable alternatives like natural loofahs and insect bars.

It was truly a Feast Day that brought together faith, family, and care for creation in joyful celebration.