Lots of lights were turned off in Balally parish on Saturday 25th March when parishioners of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, Balally, Dublin 16 were encouraged to come to the church from 8-9pm to participate in a candlelit vigil for Earth Hour 2017. The purpose of the vigil was to celebrate the beautiful gift of creation and to recognise how we contribute to the climate change which threatens the future of our earth and which is already devastating the lives of many of our fellow citizens of the world.
For a quiet, candlelit hour, readings from scripture and from Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si were interspersed with music, prayers, poems and reflections. The chosen readings celebrated the beauty of the earth, emphasised the duty of all Christians to care for the earth, to preserve it for future generations and to ensure climate justice for all the world’s citizens today. Guests from Dundrum Methodist Church and from Kilternan Church of Ireland gave a welcome ecumenical dimension to the vigil which was judged by all present to be both moving and meaningful.