MANILA, Sept. 9, 2011?The executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Youth, Fr. Conegundo Garganta lauded youth participants in the nationwide tree-planting activity, saying their involvement in caring for the environment augurs hope for the country.
Extending his gratitude in behalf of the Commission, Garganta reiterated his appreciation on the participation of the youth in the 1 million trees planting activity on September 8, the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady.
The activity was done simultaneously in many dioceses as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Episcopal Commission on Youth.
Garganta said the youth’s active participation in the activity signaled a renewed hope, and a blessing to be grateful for together with the Church’s celebration of the birthday of Our Lady.
He expressed hope that other youth throughout the country will continue to plant to protect the environment for future generations.
The youth today is not only the hope of the country but also of the Church, he said.
As members of the Church we are called to be stewards of our environment. We have the responsibility to care for the earth that God has entrusted to us, he added.
Extolling the youth, Garganta urged them to make tree-planting an ongoing activity saying that is it part of “our responsibility to take care of the earth.”
The 1 million trees project of the Youth Commission is part of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines celebration of 2011 as Year of the Youth. The tree-planting project will end on December 2011.
Garganta said the tree-planting activity hopes “to create awareness among young people of their responsibility towards society and the environment.”
He said that more will be planted than the expected 1 million quotas at the end of the celebration of YOTY.
Garganta also shared that their aim is not just to plant trees but also to take care of it. The seedlings planted will be monitored closely for some time to make sure they survived.
A total of 45,000 seedlings have been planted simultaneously throughout the country by representatives from various dioceses, religious organizations and government agency for the Sept. 8 planting.
The Archdioceses of Jaro and Cagayan de Oro; Dioceses of Balanga, San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Bangued, Borongan, Laoag, Iligan, Urdaneta, Surigao, Malaybalay and Cabanatuan; Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, a parish in Danao City, Cebu, and the organizations CFC-Singles for Christ (SFC) and the National Youth Commission (NYC) participated in the national tree-planting campaign. (Jandel Posion)
