Cambodia: Bishop Calls for Planting More Trees

A Cambodian bishop has urged people from all walks of life to care for the environment by planting more trees.

Opening the Season of Creation on September 1, 2025, at St. Joseph's Church, Tahen, northwestern Cambodia, Jesuit Bishop Enrique Figaredo Alvargonzález, prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, said: “Let all brothers and sisters participate in preserving the natural environment by planting trees and reducing the use of plastic. This is the duty of all mankind living on this earth.”

The event was attended by lay leaders, youth, women, children, and several religious leaders, including Dr. V. Sovich, head of the Sihanoureach Buddhist Branch in Battambang Province.

At the start, Bishop Alvargonzález, Buddhist monks, and Catholic priests adorned a tree with a red cloth in a symbolic act of honor. They then joined a procession within the church premises, followed by a formal program where the bishop, monks, and priests shared reflections on the Season of Creation and the importance of ecological care.

The Season of Creation spans five weeks, from the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (September 1) to the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4).

The biblical passage Isaiah 32:14-18 inspires the 2025 theme, “Peace with Creation.” It calls for prayer and action to transform barren, war-torn landscapes into lush and flourishing ones. Linked with the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year, this season also highlights appeals for debt relief for the world’s poorest nations and connects the struggle for climate justice with the pursuit of environmental justice.