NOTE:  A novena leading up to the feast of St Francis can be prayed It includes a prayer, reflection, petition and offering of self.  See SACBC Season of Creation reflections.on https://marfam.org.za/novena-to-feast-of-st-francis-from-sacbc/

September 26.  ANIMAL FARMING.   (From Becoming Eco-Friendly Families).   Norah came home from her confirmation class full of fire.  She shared, “We had a sexy young guy, speaking to us today, a climate activist and university student.  He spoke on sustainable living and told us about climate change and the impact of animal agriculture, which of course is raising animals to provide food for humans and includes meat, fish, dairy and egg industries.  Deforestation in the Amazon provides land for millions of cattle, but the methane gas that they emit increases CO2 contributing up to 18% of global warming. It also reduces the habitat for all the other natural creatures and plants that could decrease the CO2 instead. 

But even more shocking for me was to hear how in every country, as human populations grow and every other creature decreases in numbers, the way animals are treated is cruel and heartless. Over 70 billion land animals are raised and killed every year for food in processes that also cause environmental damage.   We want to eat meat and have milk and cheese but chickens are force fed with growth hormones to make them grow unnaturally fast so that their legs can’t even support their bodies. Cows too often live in very unnatural, even unhygienic settings where they can hardly even move.  I remember a while ago we heard of some huge factory ships passing by the Cape transporting hundreds of these cattle halfway across the world, but all cooped up in cages. “

Norah took a deep breath and carried on, “Brendan had lots of stories but what really touched me was thinking what God would have to say about how badly and unfairly we treat these creatures for our own selfish wants. That isn’t why God created them and they also have rights on this earth and feelings, as we know.  I think it is very important that we should all be eating a plant-based diet, at least moving in that direction, because that can go a long way to cut down on the harm of animal agriculture to the environment.  We should take note that the way we humans consume food is ultimate unsustainable.”  She laughed and concluded, “You don’t have to be an animal activist to think like that, but I wonder why Pope Francis didn’t have more to say about the meat thing in his writings. Maybe as an Argentinian he liked is steak too much!“  

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  At that time while they were marvelling at everything Jesus did, he said to his disciples. “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men.”  But they did not understand.  From Luke 9:43-45.  Pope Francis:  When we speak of the environment what we  mean is a relationship between nature and the society which lives in it.  Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live.  It is essential to seek comprehensive solutions which consider the interactions within natural systems themselves and with social systems.  The crisis is both social and environmental.   Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded and at the same time protecting nature.   LS 139.

Eco-tip.  Continue to discern about the positive and negative aspects of human behaviour in creation and what action you are called on to take.

DAILY FAMILY PRAYER from Season of Creation 2026.  May God our Father, who brought water from a rock, sustain us in the desert. May Christ our Lord, who is Living Water, refresh us for the work of restoration.  May the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen. St Francis guide and inspire us on our way