The Archdiocese of Semarang in Indonesia has launched a nine-month Novena for the Integrity of Creation in the Western Yogyakarta Vicariate as part of the Jubilee Year of Hope.
The initiative aligns with the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on environmental care, and aims to promote ecological awareness and action within the faith community.
The novena, spearheaded by the Commission for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), in collaboration with the Liturgy and Social Communications Commissions, is designed to promote reflection and action on environmental issues.
The initiative involves a series of monthly pilgrimages to nine sacred sites across the vicariate, reinforcing the Church’s role in advocating for sustainability and responsible stewardship.
The inaugural event took place on Feb. 9 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Wates. The program emphasized the need for lifestyle changes, including sustainable food consumption, water conservation, and environmental responsibility.
The event concluded with the symbolic handover of tree seedlings, marking the start of a reforestation effort that aims to plant 6,000 trees in the Western Yogyakarta Vicariate’s pilgrimage sites.
The next novena pilgrimage is scheduled for March 9, 2025, at Maria Dhamparing Kawicaksanan Prayer Garden in Ngembesan, Kapanewon Turi, Sleman.
The series will culminate in October 2025 at the Sendangsono Marian Grotto, a revered pilgrimage destination.
