希望職工中心慶祝地球日

　　每年4月22日的地球日，今年希望職工中心安排於4月23日中壢耶穌聖心堂的4場感恩聖祭中慶祝。在彌撒開始前，堂區子民先觀賞了一段講述關懷受造物的影片。（影片見下方網址）

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCcl7DoGRW0

奉獻禮品中安排有水、土壤、植物及地球儀等象徵物，每一個象徵物都有其對應的意義與祈禱。

希望職工中心慶祝地球日

　　水對地球上的生命至關重要，不僅是人類，而是所有的生命。飲用、清潔、洗滌及農作物生長都需要水。這個寶貴的資源沒有替代品，但我們卻浪費它、污染它，甚至將它商品化。仁慈的天主，我們祈求祢祝福每一位口渴的人。淨化、保護並增益他們的水源。堅定他們的信心，讓他們真正享有潔淨水泉的益處。

　　沒有健康的土地及土壤，我們就無法生存。我們在土地上生產眾多食物及建立家園。對於所有物種——無論是陸上或水中的動植物——而言，土地至關重要。仁慈的天主，求祢賜給我們生長植物的土壤，並求祢親手撫育它們。求祢讓我們能像祢關心我們一樣關心它們。

　　植物和樹木提供了我們呼吸的空氣。它們也是我們食物及藥物的重要來源，並為眾多生命提供庇護。仁慈的天主，感謝祢在我們的生活中賜予的所有樹木及植物。我們感謝祢的仁慈恩賜，以及在祢內繁盛新生命。我們獻上這株植物，作為我們一同承諾保護由祢創造的一切的標記。

　　地球十分脆弱，卻是我們唯一的家園。人類依靠健康的地球才能生存。我們一直認為地球上的資源是理所當然的，浪費天主賜予我們的資源。敬愛的天主，求祢幫助我們拯救地球上被拋棄及遺忘的人們，他們是祢眼中的寶物。求祢為我們的生活帶來治愈，讓我們可以保護世界，而不是掠奪；讓我們可以散播美善，而不是污染與破壞。求祢融化那些以犧牲窮人及地球為代價，尋求利益的人的心。

　　彌撒結束前還舉行了教友有獎問答。當被問到「你能做些什麼以減少在日常生活中使用塑料？」時，大多數人回答在購買食品時，應自帶環保袋或購物袋。為了感謝及鼓勵他們繼續愛護環境，回答者獲贈了精緻的小盆栽。

　　為響應方濟各教宗《願祢受讚頌》通諭，擔任希望職工牧靈協調員及庇護所主管的聖高隆邦會平信徒傳教士謝莉兒與葉兆安女士，最近發起了一個名為「Care for Creation Ministry」的新事工。這個新事工希望提高移民移工更加認識我們的共同家園所面臨的日益嚴重的問題，讓他們在日常生活購買及使用東西時，能意識到問題並做出更謹慎的選擇。

Hope Workers’ Center commemorates Earth Day

Earth Day which is observed on April 22nd every year. A video that talks about Care for Creation was shown to the parishioners before the Mass started. (see link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCcl7DoGRW0

There was also a symbolic offering of water, soil, plants, and globe accompanied by an explanation and a prayer for each element that was presented.

Hope Workers’ Center commemorates Earth Day

Water is essential for life on earth, not just human life but all life. Water is needed for drinking, cleaning, washing, and making crops grow. There is no substitute for this precious resource, and yet we waste it, we pollute it, and we even commodify it. Loving God, we ask for Your blessings on everyone who is thirsty. Purify, protect, and multiply their water sources. Strengthen their resolve so they may fully enjoy the benefits of clean water.

We cannot live without healthy land and soil. It is on land that we produce most of our food and we build our homes. For all species — animals and plants living on land or water — land is vital. Loving God, we pray for the soil that the plants will be in, for you to have your hand over them. Help us be able to care for them as you care for us.

Plants and trees are solely responsible for providing the air we breathe. They are also great sources of our food, medicine, and they provide shelter for many life forms. Loving God, thank you for all the trees and plants in our life. We give thanks for the gift of mercy and for the new life that is abundant in You. We offer this plant as a sign of our shared commitment to protect all You have created.

The earth is a very fragile place, and yet it is our home, our only home. Humanity depends on a healthy earth in order to survive. Many times we have taken the earth's resources for granted and wasted what God has given us. Loving God, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Before the end of the Mass, there was also a Question and Answer activity among the parishioners. When asked, “what can you do to lessen the use of plastic in your daily life?” Most of them answered that they should bring their own eco-friendly bags or own shopping bags when they buy groceries. As a token of appreciation and encouragement for them to care for the environment, they were gifted with beautiful small plants.

Columban lay missionaries Sherryl Capili and Joan Yap who serve at the HWC as pastoral coordinator and shelter supervisor respectively, recently initiated a new ministry called Care for Creation Ministry in response to Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si. This new ministry hopes to develop increase in awareness among the migrants and immigrants on the growing problems that our common home faces for them to intentionally make cautious choices on the things they buy and use in every day life.