Tuesday

1

Holy Spirit we need help!
Our planetary home is hurting;
global warming and climate change with millions of humans uprooted,|
and fish, flower and fauna facing dire extinction.
Holy Spirit hear us!

We stewards of creation
plead human need for counsel
before using our God given gifts communally with many others
to repair the harm of our greed with faith in your guidance.
Holy Spirit help us!

We are too ego bent to one colour of the spectrum,
our need is urgent for inspiration
so truths of our baptismal faith rend our stubborn hearts to solidarity of intent.
Holy Spirit inspire us!

Wednesday

2

God our Father, in your unfailing love and goodness, hear us as we bring to you our prayers for the world and for all people . In this period of Lent we come to you aware of our unreadiness for the enormity of the Easter message, that Christ suffered and died for us and was yet raised in glorious victory.  Grant us healing in our souls Lord, and in the souls of all who search for meaning in their lives.

We give you thanks for your beautiful world , for all its richness and complexity and pray for better awareness of the needs of our planet and sensitivity to the conservation of its resources. We give you thanks for our senses which enable us to enjoy the splendour of your world around us, the sight and scent of flowers, the sound of birdsong, the feeling of warmth from the sun.

     Lord in your mercy
     Hear our prayer

Mrs Sue Allen

Thursday

3

Speak Up for the Love of Creation

“For look, I am going to create new heavens and a new earth,
and the past will not be remembered and will come no more to mind.
Rather be joyful, be glad for ever at what I am creating”.

Isaiah 65: 17-19

Friday

4

Evolution – Creation Continues

Karl Rahner said that we are “pressured” from within to evolve. That pressure is what we have always called the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit is creatively at work in this moment, urging us to evolve, to become a new kind of human being such as the world has rarely seen before. But what has been rare must now become commonplace. –Judy Cannato

Science today—particularly physics, astrophysics, anthropology, and biology – is confirming many of religion’s deep intuitions. The universe is not inert, but is “inspirited matter.” We might call this driving force instinct, evolution, nuclear fusion, DNA, hardwiring, the motherboard, healing, growth, or springtime. Nature clearly renews itself from within. God seems to have created things that continue to create and recreate themselves from the inside out. A fully incarnate God creates through evolution.

The very meaning of the word universe is to “turn around one thing.” There is either some Big Truth in this universe, or it is an incoherent universe. We are hardwired for the Big Picture, for transcendence, for ongoing growth (another name for evolution), for union with ourselves and everything else.  Either God is for everybody and the divine DNA is somehow in all creatures, or this God is not God. Humans are driven, hopefully even drawn, toward ever higher levels of conscious union and the ability to include (to forgive others for being “other”). “Everything that rises must converge,” as Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) observed.

Unfortunately, many people view God as a deity who tortures and excludes forever those people who don’t agree with “him” or get “his” name right. How could you possibly trust such a small God or ever feel loved, safe, and free? Jesus undid the stingy, violent view of God when he said, “You, evil as you are, know how to give good things to your children. . . . If you, then how much more, God!” (Matthew 7:11). The God I have met and been loved by is always an experience of “how much more!” If we are created in the image and likeness of God, then whatever good, true, or beautiful things we can say about humanity or creation we can also say of God—but they’re even more true! God is the beauty of creation and humanity multiplied to the infinite power.

For me, this wondrous universe cannot be an incoherent and accidental cosmos, nor can it be grounded in evil, although I admit that this intellectual leap and bias toward beauty is still an act of faith and trust. I further believe that a free and loving God desires our participation in co-creation. The Great Work is ours too.

Richard Rohr
Centre for Action and Contemplation
www.cac.org

Saturday

5

Sunday

6

Prayer for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

As we journey with Jesus towards Holy Week, remember all those in our world today who carry heavy crosses of poverty, homelessness, and hunger.

Loving Lord,
it’s so hard to love the world sometimes
and to love it the way Jesus did seems impossible.
Help me to be inspired by his love and guided by his example.
Most of all, I want to accept that I can’t do it alone,
and that trying is an arrogance of self-centeredness.
I need you, dear God, to give me support in this journey.
Show me how to unlock my heart so that I am less selfish.
Let me be less fearful of the pain and darkness
that will be transformed by you into Easter joy

Catholic Diocese of Providence

Monday

7

Hymn of the Universe

I live at the heart of a single, unique Element, the Centre of the universe, and present in each part of it: personal Love and cosmic Power.

To attain to him and become merged into his life I have before me the entire universe with its noble struggles, its impassioned quests, its myriad of souls to be healed and made perfect. I can and I must throw myself into the thick of human endeavour, and with no stopping for breath. For the more I bring my efforts to bear on the whole surface of reality, the more also will I attain to Christ and cling close to him. God who is eternal Being-in-itself, is, one might say, ever in process of formation for us.

And God is also the heart of everything; so much so that the vast setting of the universe might be engulfed or wither away or be creation’s dust, which is vitalized by a halo of energy and glory, to be swept away, the substantial Reality wherein every perfection is incorruptibly contained and possessed would remain intact; the rays would be drawn back onto their Source and there I should still hold them all in close embrace.

Teilhard de Chardin

Tuesday

8

For The Beauty of the Earth

In the spring of 1863, Folliott S. Pierpoint (b. Bath, Somerset, England, 1835; d. Newport, Monmouthshire, England, 1917) sat on a hilltop outside his native city of Bath, England, admiring the country view and the winding Avon River. Inspired by the view to think about God’s gifts in creation and in the church, Pierpont wrote this text. Pierpont was educated at Queen’s College, Cambridge, England, and periodically taught classics at Somersetshire College. But because he had received an inheritance, he did not need a regular teaching position and could afford the leisure of personal study and writing. His three volumes of poetry were collected in 1878; he contributed hymns to The Hymnal Noted (1852) and Lyra Eucharistica (1864).

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies.

Christ, our Lord, to you we raise
this, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale and tree and flower,
sun and moon and stars of light, [Refrain ]

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, [Refrain]

For yourself, best gift divine,
to the world so freely given,
agent of God’s grand design:
peace on earth and joy in heaven. [Refrain]

Listen

Wednesday

9

Lord, grant us the wisdom to care for the earth and till it.
Help us to act now for the good of future generations and all your creatures.
Help us to become instruments of a new creation, founded on the covenant of your love.
Amen.

Irish Catholic Bishop Conference

Thursday

10

Gracious Creator, your promises are written into the fabric of the universe. Teach us to read them with the insight of faith, and deliver us from the anxieties and fears that hinder their fulfilment.

Friday

11

Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti of Pope Francis
on the Fraternity and Social Friendship

Chapter Four

Borders and their limits

131.        For those who are not recent arrivals and already participate in the fabric of society, it is important to apply the concept of “citizenship”, which “is based on the equality of rights and duties, under which all enjoy justice. It is therefore crucial to establish in our societies the concept of full citizenship and to reject the discriminatory use of the term minorities, which engenders feelings of isolation and inferiority. Its misuse paves the way for hostility and discord; it undoes any successes and takes away the religious and civil rights of some citizens who are thus discriminated against”.[112]

132.       Even when they take such essential steps, states are not able, on their own, to implement adequate solutions, “since the consequences of the decisions made by each inevitably have repercussions on the entire international community”. As a result, “our response can only be the fruit of a common effort”[113] to develop a form of global governance with regard to movements of migration. Thus, there is “a need for mid-term and long-term planning which is not limited to emergency responses. Such planning should include effective assistance for integrating migrants in their receiving countries, while also promoting the development of their countries of origin through policies inspired by solidarity, yet not linking assistance to ideological strategies and practices alien or contrary to the cultures of the peoples being assisted”.[114]

Prayerfully consider how this affects our Country

Saturday

12

Sunday

13

Palm Sunday

Thank You, Father, for the life you have given us. For the sun rising to start another day and the reminders of your creation surrounding us. When we witness a beautiful mark of your creative hand, let us recall that Christ was with you, too, when the world began and the sound of your voice. He eventually came to Earth and watched the same sunrise we now see. He looked into the stars in the sky and now looks down upon us prayerfully, with love. With grateful hearts, we praise you, God, for who you are and who we are in you. 

Let the Peace of Christ’s Palm Sunday entrance remain in our memories. When we are fearful and anxious, help us to recall the Peace in which Jesus rode into the city so soon after to be crucified. God our Father, help us to act in grace and peace in the face of fear, both known and unknown, knowing you are incredibly close. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Monday

14

Heavenly Father, as we begin this Holy Week, we reflect on the precious gift of creation and the responsibility we hold to care for it. As Jesus cleansed the Temple, we pray for a cleansing of our hearts, urging us to act with greater stewardship towards the Earth, to reduce our waste, and to live in harmony with all living things. Guide us to make choices that honour your creation, so that future generations may inherit a healthy and vibrant planet. Amen.

Tuesday

15

Gracious God, help us to embrace compassion, to lift each other up, and to walk in faith, that we may reflect your love in our daily lives.
May we, like the greens of nature, grow strong, rooted in faith and love, reaching upward to your light. 

In your mercy, hear our prayer

Wednesday

16

Father God, As Jesus offered Himself for us on the cross, so we offer our lives to You. Make us the aroma of Christ. May the words we speak, the actions we take, and the inner workings of our hearts bring You joy. May our prayers rise like pleasing incense to Your throne. We live for Christ who died for us and lives forevermore. In His name, we pray. Amen.

Thursday

17

Maundy Thursday

Father God, Jesus demonstrated humble service in washing the feet of the apostles and humble obedience in submitting to Your will. May we be like Him today as we serve those around us and live for You. We humble ourselves before You. Show us how to live sacrificially and extend ourselves to the poor, the outcast, and those who suffer around the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Friday

18

Good Friday

I see the hammer strike the crucifying nails
And I see the ghost tree remains of the once mighty cypress.
I see water where communities once thrived.
And the ringing of the nails fills the earth.
I see the hammer strike the crucifying nails
And I see the city a flood.
Death floating. And the ringing of the nails fills the earth.

I see the hammer strike the crucifying nails
And I see the brown sludge cover the Earth
Stopping the reflection of God’s smile.
And the ringing of the nails covers the sea.

I see the hammer strike the crucifying nails,
I see the black death covering the birthplace,
the nursery place, the resting place, of God’s creatures
And the places of God’s people.
and the ringing of the nails fills the earth.

The hammer stops.
The nails are driven.
The ringing ends in silence.
Dead Silence.
And the silence is louder than all the other sounds.
It is the sound of the Death of God.
Only the silence of Resurrection is louder.

From “Nails” by Richard Krajeski

Saturday

19

Silent Saturday

Loving Father, tonight we come before you with silence. In the stillness, may we sense your presence and know you are near. Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. We know this full well. He demonstrated his love on the cross and we receive that love tonight. We praise you and honour you in silence and in peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Sunday

20

Easter Sunday

Father God, we rejoice! With all creation, we rejoice in You, in Your Son, and in Your Holy Spirit! Jesus is alive and we celebrate His life. His life is eternal, and we live because of Him! May Jesus’ resurrection be apparent in our life today and every day! Hallelujah! He is risen! He is risen, indeed! In Jesus’ name, we pray and rejoice!

Monday

21

We can encounter God in nature.

Since ancient times, the natural world has been one of the ways that people come to know about God and experience his wisdom and glory.  Many of the saints lived in harmony with the natural world and had special friendships with animals as a consequence of their closeness to God.

Now …. On this Family Day take an excursion with your family and friends into nature and make this a celebration!

Tuesday

22

Earth Day

2025 theme:  “Our Power, Our Planet”

For 55 years, Earth Day has led the world in raising awareness and taking action on critically important environmental issues, advocating for the health of the planet, for our air, oceans, soil, eco-systems, wildlife, and human health.  The 2025 theme of “Our Power, Our Planet” is focused on supporting the tripling of renewable energy by 2030.

Global power consumption is not decreasing, and as populations and economies grow, so will energy demand. Endeavouring to meet demand with finite fossil fuels is unsustainable but it is also extremely harmful to human and planetary health. 

It goes without say that air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels not only exacerbates climate change, but is also detrimental health, often linked to heart attacks, respiratory disorders, stroke, asthma air.

Switching to renewable energy sources is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions because renewables generate electricity without producing carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas.

Renewable energy is a powerful unifying force, bringing together diverse countries, regions, states, and communities that are often polar opposites, politically and economically. Clean energy transcends ideological boundaries, showcasing the universal appeal of affordable energy.  The cost of manufacturing solar panels continues to reduce, making them more affordable. 

Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, and water, – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gasses or pollutants into the environment.  Renewable energy also offer huge economic opportunities, creating new employment opportunities

Change is daunting, but there is a need to move away from dependence on fossil fuels and embrace a sustainable future.  The earth is a very fragile place, and yet it is our home, our only home. In the past century in particular, humanity has been terribly severe on the earth making unreasonable demands on it, and now the earth along with its life and ecosystems are struggling to cope. The irony is that humanity depends on a healthy earth in order to survive. The first to suffer are always the poor and most vulnerable, and so we need to take stock, reduce our demands, and live more simply, or as Jesus asked of his followers, more lightly on the earth.

Earth Day 2025 encourages us to harness renewable energy to build a healthy, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for us all.

Consider investigating solar power installation.

Wednesday

23

Thursday

24

World Malaria Day  (25^th April)

At least 3.2 billion of the world’s population are still at risk of contracting malaria, and an estimated 350-500 million clinical malaria cases occur annually and more than 600,000 malaria deaths occur in Africa.  In South Africa, 10% of the population is at risk of contracting the disease – Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal are endemic malaria areas.  The start of summer generally marks the start of the malaria season in South Africa, due to higher temperatures and increased rainfall – cases starting to rise in October, peaking in January and February, and waning towards May.

When one thinks of malaria, one tends to think of human infections.  However, Avian malaria is a disease that affects birds in South Africa and is spread by infected mosquitoes causing sickness or death in many birds, including endangered species such as the African Penguin. 

Avian malaria is considered widespread in South Africa, with studies showing a significant prevalence of Plasmodium infections across various bird species throughout the country, particularly in wetland areas.  Plasmodium  is the parasite responsible for malaria infections.  Like elsewhere, avian malaria can potentially impact wild bird populations in South Africa. 

The African Penguin, (Africa’s only species of penguin),which is already in serious danger of extinction due to the reduction of food resources as a result of overfishing,  Unfortunately, all penguins are incredibly susceptible to malaria and the disease has a higher occurrence rate in penguins under human care (those in rescue and rehabilitation centres) than those in the wild. Despite the success of SANCCOB in rehabilitating diseased, injured or oiled penguins, significant mortalities have occurred at the facility as a result of avian malaria. Avian malaria can be contracted during rehabilitation during which penguins are inadvertently exposed to additional threats.

Do what you can to limit mosquito presence in your community

Friday

25

Penguin Awareness Day

The African Penguin population has plummeted by 97% and fewer than 10 000 breeding pairs remain. Without intervention, the species could be extinct in the wild by 2035. Among several threats to its survival, competition from commercial fishing hampers its ability to find enough food – primarily anchovies and sardines.

An independent poll commissioned by Blue Marine to mark Penguin Awareness Day revealed that 64% of respondents were unaware of the status of the African Penguin and 19% indicated that they had no idea that, without intervention, the species could disappear in the next decade.

The cause of this decline of this species is attributed to human activities like overfishing and pollution, and many people believe that the national government is primarily responsible for not taking action to curb these threats.

After a long legal battle fought by BirdlifeSA and SANCCOB, on 18^th March they were thrilled to announce that an agreement has been reached with commercial sardine and anchovy purse-seine fishers. 

The agreement provides for the delineations of no-take zones for commercial sardine and anchovy fishing around African Penguin breeding colonies that lie within coastal areas where this commercial fishery operates. In a last-minute bid to avoid litigation which could have lasted for years, the settlement focused on closures around six key African Penguin colonies: Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island. The aim behind the focus on these particular colonies is to ensure regional representation towards maximising the benefits of closures for the global African Penguin population.

To read the full media release, click here.

Give thanks for this mile-stone achievement to protect these iconic birds!

Saturday

26

International Hyena Day (27 April)

International Hyena Day advocates for changing the public’s perspective on hyenas and seeing their importance on Earth. Hyenas don’t have the greatest reputation due to centuries of bad publicity through literature and folklore.

Perhaps the much maligned animal is not the most striking, most elegant or the most impressive looking animal, (with their short hindquarters and sloping backs that give them a somewhat awkward gait) or for their chattering, laughing calls which can sound unnerving, yet they are fascinating animals and, like every other species, perform vital roles in their ecosystem. As both hunters and scavengers, hyenas play a crucial role in their ecosystems. They help control prey populations and clean up carrion, promoting a healthier environment.   Without them, the landscape would be transformed, for the worse.  

Sadly, in many parts of the world – including here in South Africa – they are unloved, an attitude exacerbated by their portrayal in pop culture (think of the way the three hyenas are depicted in Disney’s Lion King). Across parts of their range, hyenas have been associated with witchcraft, often leading to them being feared or disliked by local people. 

Our attitude towards hyena is hugely unjust. Hyenas have equally interesting behaviours and ecology as lions, leopards, or cheetahs.

Despite being classified as Least Concern by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), populations of spotted hyena, the most common hyena species, are declining, with fewer than 50,000 estimated to remain across the African continent roughly half of that number occurring in Southern Africa.

In an increasingly human-dominated world, we must strive to achieve harmonious coexistence with all species, including those traditionally considered ‘pests, ugly and unloved’ – such as the hyena – we must advocate for their conservation, learn more about their ecology and spread awareness as to their crucial role in the eco-system.

It’s time to change our negative perception of this incredible animal!

Sunday

27

May none of God’s wonderful works keep silence, night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas,
Sources of rushing rivers:
May all these break into song as we sing to Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
May all the angels in the heavens reply: Amen, amen
Power praise and honour, eternal glory to God the only
Giver of grace Amen, Amen, Amen

Third century hymn

Monday

28

“When the mind is festering with trouble or the heart torn, we can find healing among the silence of mountains or fields, or listen to the simple, steadying rhythm of waves. The slowness and stillness gradually takes us over. Our breathing deepens and our hearts calm and our hungers relent. When serenity is restored, new perspectives open to us and difficulty can begin to seem like an invitation to new growth.

This invitation to friendship with nature does of course entail a willingness to be alone out there. Yet this aloneness is anything but lonely. Solitude gradually clarifies the heart until a true tranquillity is reached. The irony is that at the heart of that aloneness you feel intimately connected with the world. Indeed, the beauty of nature is often the wisest balm for it gently relieves and releases the caged mind.”

John O’Donohue
Excerpt from his book, Beauty: The Invisible Embrace

Tuesday

29

Psalm 89:1-18 (The Message)

^1-4 Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it!
    I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.
I’ll never quit telling the story of your love—
    how you built the cosmos
    and guaranteed everything in it.
Your love has always been our lives’ foundation,
    your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
You once said, “I joined forces with my chosen leader,
    I pledged my word to my servant, David, saying,
‘Everyone descending from you is guaranteed life;
    I’ll make your rule as solid and lasting as rock.’”

^5-18 God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways,
    the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways!
Search high and low, scan skies and land,
    you’ll find nothing and no one quite like God.
The holy angels are in awe before him;
    he looms immense and august over everyone around him.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who is like you,
    powerful and faithful from every angle?
You put the arrogant ocean in its place
    and calm its waves when they turn unruly.
You gave that old hag Egypt the back of your hand,
    you brushed off your enemies with a flick of your wrist.
You own the cosmos—you made everything in it,
    everything from atom to archangel.
You positioned the North and South Poles;
    the mountains Tabor and Hermon sing duets to you.
With your well-muscled arm and your grip of steel—
    nobody messes with you!

Wednesday

30