Church of Jakarta: Let us repent for damage to the environment and start over

The "Šilih ekologis" project involving 67 parishes is aimed primarily at young people. The Indonesian Church celebrates World Environment Day and makes unused land available so that the children can plant trees and learn to love nature.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The ecological challenge is promoted through education of the younger generation, who must learn to love nature and to respect it. This is the focus of the new project launched by the Archdiocese of Jakarta on the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5) and called "Šilih ekologis" or "ecological repentance." In 67 parishes in the archdiocese "green" activities were organized directed especially at the young.

The Church in Indonesia is very active in opposing pollution, which is an increasingly dangerous emergency in the country. On 28 May, Msgr. Suharyo (archbishop of Jakarta) wrote a pastoral letter in which he asked for a "conversion for the environment." On that occasion he recommended people minimize the use of plastic (that fill the rivers of the capital).

For the "ecological repentance" project, the archdiocese has enlisted the support of local entrepreneurs and professionals to cooperate with the parishioners. Fr. Binawan SJ, professor of philosophy and canon law, held a meeting with the archbishop to highlight the activities.

The archdiocese, he explained, is to reuse the extensive grounds that it owns inside and outside Jakarta and at the moment are unused. These will be made available for youth ministry, in which children will be educated in touch with nature by planting new trees. This gesture, said Fr. Binawan, refers to the initiative launched by Benedict XVI that planted 125 thousand trees in Hungary in 2011. The new plants will contribute to the production of oxygen to counteract the fossil carbon pollution that is choking the city.

At present, the archdiocese has already made available property in Kebon Darling Pamulang, South Tangerang District and Bumi Kahuripan Kelapa Dua.

• Indonesia Catholic
• church ecology damage environment land young