From: bcsabha.kal...@gmail.com To: 17 Aug 2015Hindustan Times (Mumbai)HT Correspondent htme...@hindustantimes.com MUMBAI: After Pope Francis’ letter, released by the Vatican this year, to bishops, asking them to talk to their congregations about protection of the environment, Sunday school students in Mumbai are incorporating the message in their weekly lessons.HT‘Save the animals and sustain the life on earth by protecting it,’ was the main focus of the workshop at Sevadan School, Chembur.Children from Chembur met at the Sevadan School, Chembur, on Friday, to take part in a workshop that included climate reality education and sessions. The workshop was conducted by non-governmental organisation Young Environmentalists Program, with ‘Save the animals and sustain the life on earth by protecting it,’ as the main focus of discussion. The Pope’s encyclical was a 192-page document, which was released to all bishops. “Religion and environment are connected and that climate change is a reality. The Pope’s message, which has gripped the entire world, needs to be communicated to the youth today,” said Elsie Gabriel founder, Young Environmentalists Program. Gabriel added that as a part of the encyclical, Pope Francis talked about industrial waste overtaking the planet, called for renewable fuel subsidies and energy efficiency, global environmental deterioration and said that we have mistreated our environment. “This is the only encyclical devoted to environmentalism. This topic has been the subject of many papal statements, but Francis is the first pope to devote an encyclical to it,” added Gabriel. According to teachers from the Sunday school, the discussions had an immediate impact on the children. “Since the NGO could explain the current situation with regard to climate change in graphic manner, the students could pick it up fast and it shaped a perspective. Following the discussion, different groups of students came up to me to find out how they could involve their parents and other friends to plant more trees,” said Belcy Peter, teacher, Sunday school of Sevadan School, Chembur.
