Prayer for Nepal Urges Asia to Turn Solidarity into Disaster Recovery and Climate Action

More than 150 people from across Asia joined an interfaith prayer gathering for Nepal on September 15, turning prayers for communities affected by devastating floods and landslides into a call for concrete solidarity, compassionate service and care for creation.

The online gathering was organized by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences–Office of Human Development (FABC-OHD), Radio Veritas Asia and the Laudato Si’ Movement Asia Pacific, together with its chapters in Myanmar, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines and Timor-Leste.

Participants were invited to “mourn, listen, stand with and hope” with the people of Nepal, while reflecting on how prayer could lead to practical support for affected communities.

Speaking from Nepal, Jesuit priest Fr. Dr. Boby Joseph Thadathil, SJ, Superior of St. Xavier’s School in Kathmandu, described the disaster as a moment to put compassion into service.

“This is a time to show humanity, compassion, and service,” he said.

Fr. Boby said the disaster had affected not only lives and property but also homes, livelihoods, education, health care, water systems and other essential services. He called for continued solidarity during the long process of recovery and rebuilding.

He highlighted the needs of children who had lost parents and families struggling to secure shelter, food, health care and safe drinking water. He urged communities outside Nepal to provide practical support in areas including housing, education, psychosocial care, livelihoods, sanitation and disaster preparedness.

Sr. Cecilia Shrestha, SJC, Director of Caritas Nepal, linked the disaster to the growing vulnerability of communities to climate-related hazards.

“Climate change is no longer a distant or future threat for Nepalese communities, it is already affecting lives, livelihoods, food security, and displacement,” she said.

She noted that climate-related disasters disproportionately affect poor and marginalized communities and called for stronger cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.

Bishop Allwyn D’Silva, chairman of the FABC Office of Human Development, reflected on the biblical image of living water from Ezekiel 47, linking the healing of communities with care for creation.

He urged participants to strengthen practical responses to the climate crisis, including energy audits, greater energy efficiency, renewable energy, solar power and the use of electric vehicles.

“Let the Nepal disaster teach us to take care of the earth,” Bishop D’Silva said.

Representatives of Bahá’í, Buddhist, Islamic and Kirat traditions joined Catholics in praying for those who died, those affected and those involved in relief and recovery efforts.

Laudato Si’ Movement chapters across Asia-Pacific offered prayers in Korean, Burmese, Indonesian, Tetun and Filipino, highlighting the gathering’s regional and interfaith character.

The service concluded with a call to continue accompanying Nepal through recovery and rebuilding and to become “people of solidarity, people of compassion, and guardians of our common home.”

Organizers described the gathering as an invitation to “pray with Nepal, not simply for Nepal,” linking humanitarian solidarity with responsibility for the environment.