In line with the month-long celebration of the Season of Creation, the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Environmental Concerns (CACEC) launched the Laudate Deum Pocket Forests earlier today at the Archdiocesan Seminaries.
The Laudate Deum Pocket Forest is an archdiocese-wide, Miyawaki-inspired initiative that aims to establish native and endemic pocket forests in all 178 parishes of the Archdiocese of Cebu, promoting ecological restoration, environmental stewardship, and integral formation as part of its journey toward its centennial in 2034.
Present at the launching were Cebu Archbishop Alberto S. Uy, the Laudate Deum Pocket Forest Core Group and its collaborators, seminary priest-formators and seminarians, church leaders and representatives from other Christian denominations.
In his address, Fr. Jonas Yap, CACEC Chair, explained that the initiative began in the seminaries because these institutions form the future shepherds of the Church. He added that if the Archdiocese hopes to become a “Church Fully Alive” by 2034, it must first form disciples and priests who are fully alive to God, to one another, and to creation.
“Today, therefore, we are not simply planting trees. We are planting a culture– a culture that listens, a culture that allows God’s love to flow, and a culture that participates in healing… From these three seminaries, may these three pocket forests become seeds of a greater movement of stewardship throughout our Archdiocese.” he said.
Participants then took part in the ceremonial tree planting in designated areas within each seminary compound as a symbolic expression of the Church’s commitment to caring for creation and responding to the call of Laudate Deum.
The launch was followed by an Ecumenical Service, where Archbishop Abet addressed the participants, especially the seminarians, saying that one good example is more valuable than ten good sermons.
“Kamong mga seminarians nga ania karon dinhi, I hope you learn many things today by way of example. Nakita ninyo ang inyong mga obispo, ang inyong mga pari, nagtanom, nagkinamot, wala mahadlok sa hugaw… I hope you learn something by heart. Daghan kaayo tag leksyon sa klase, nga lawom sa theology. Kung di na makita sa kinabuhi, useless ang tanan,” Archbishop Abet said.
The good Archbishop also emphasized the interconnectedness of creation, saying that social change is not possible without personal conversion.
“Kining pagpananom importante ni pero kung mabalin mong mausikon sa inyong lifestyle, kung magpabilin mo og pataka og labay sa inyong basura, bisan pa og pila ka ektarya inyong tanuman, walay pulos ang tanan because connected ni tanan. Before we do tree planting, we need a conversion of each of our hearts,” urged the good Archbishop.
Tomorrow, the parish-level implementation of the Miyawaki Pocket Forest initiative will be piloted at the Virgen de los Remedios Parish in Labangon, Cebu City, at 4:00 PM.