At Holy Family, we came together for a special Day of Action, inspired by the Columban Fathers, to reflect on the climate crisis and consider how we can all take action to care for God’s creation. We were delighted to welcome James from the Columban Fathers, who supported and guided us throughout the day.
We began the morning by exploring the words- See, Judge, Act. The children learnt what each stage means: See – looking at the issues affecting our world; Judge – reflecting on these issues in the light of our faith and deciding what is right; and Act – taking practical steps to make a difference.
Back in their classrooms, children chose environmental themes that they felt passionate about and explored ways they could make a positive change.
Our actions throughout the school included:
- EYFS: Creating musical instruments from recycled materials, discovering how we can reuse everyday items rather than waste them.
- Year 1: Exploring our local environment and thinking about what we can do to make our neighbourhood a cleaner, greener place.
- Year 2: Investigating food waste and considering how we can reduce waste and care for the resources God has given us.
- KS2: Focusing on COP31, the global climate conference taking place in Türkiye, and exploring how we can encourage leaders to take action on climate change. Children also wrote letters to their MP and sang Living Water, reflecting on the importance of protecting our precious natural resources.
Our Liturgical Leaders also worked alongside the children in Years 3 and 4 to prepare a COP31 climate action suitcase for the Energy Secretary to take to Türkiye. Through this activity, our leaders inspired younger children to reflect on the climate crisis, take action to care for God’s creation and encourage others to do the same.
In the afternoon, we came back together to share and celebrate the learning, ideas and actions from across the school. We were delighted to welcome Sister Maura and Father Fretch, who joined us to see the wonderful work taking place and hear how our children were responding to the call to care for our common home.
Our Day of Action reflected the message of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, which reminds us that the Earth is our common home and that we all have a responsibility to protect it. Through our Live Simply journey, we continue to encourage our children to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with others, recognising that even small actions can make a meaningful difference.
The day reminded us that caring for creation is not just something we talk about; it is something we are called to do. Our faith inspires us to stand up for our world, care for those most affected by climate change and encourage others to make a difference. At Holy Family, we know that faith calls us to action. Together, we can make a difference and be the change our world needs!
