GITEGA, October 6th (ABP) – Caritas-Burundi, an organization of the world Catholic Church, closed, on October 4, 2023, the activities of the week dedicated to the environment which lasted four days in all Catholic dioceses of Burundi. The ceremonies led by the national secretary of the said organization in Burundi, Father Jean Baptiste Hakizimana, were organized under the theme: Let’s protect the environment, source of good health and sustainable development. The ceremonies were attended by the faith leaders of the Catholic Church and those of other religious denominations. They took place in the parish of Mushasha, home to the headquarters of the archdiocese of Gitega (center of the country). They consisted of the execution of works of sanitation of the Mushasha cemetery by collecting plastic bags used to package flowers for decorating graves and collecting bottles or any non-biodegradable object. The day’s activities also consisted of growing trees downstream of the hill housing the aforementioned cemetery to protect the soil against weather variations.
In his speech for the occasion, the national secretary of Caritas-Burundi said that this week was part of the celebration of creation, that is to say, an opportunity to give thanks to God who created the earth and the universe for the benefit of humanity, he said. Father Hakizimana added that man draws from the same creation everything he needs in order to live. Furthermore, he indicated, the preservation of creation rhymes well with the will of His Holiness Pope Francis who calls on all of today’s humanity to respect the environment both for its own interest and that of future generations. Pope Francis says violators of this appeal are committing ecological sins, he reported. Father Hakizimana pledged the support of the Catholic Church to stand alongside the Burundian government in its vision to protect the environment. No one should shirk the protection of our common home which is the environment, advised Father Hakizimana, explaining that failure to do so leads to air and water pollution which has unfortunate consequences on human health. As an example, Father Hakizimana pointed out cancer, acute respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases.