Asia

Cardinal D’Rozario and other Bishops kicking of the tree-planting initiative. Credit : Vatican Media

Mar 13, 2021 (Vatican News) : In the beautiful South Asian country of Bangladesh, the Catholic Bishops have launched a campaign to plant 400,000 trees in an audacious initiative to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical Laudato si’ On the Care for our Common Home.

Kicking off the tree-planting drive at the Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh Center in Dhaka in August last year, the Bishops, led by the Archbishop Emeritus of Dhaka, Cardinal D’Rozario, planted three trees symbolizing the clergy and the religious, the lay faithful and the Bishops themselves. The Bishops also encouraged everyone to do the same in each of the country’s eight dioceses.

Explaining the very specific number of 400,000 trees to be planted, Cardinal D’Rozario pointed out that the number is an approximate representation of the population of Catholics in the country based on a “one Catholic one tree” principle.

Trees will be planted in the compounds and campuses of parishes, convents, religious institutions and Church-run schools. In rural areas where land is abundant, people are encouraged to plant trees in their gardens. In urban settings, Catholics are urged to take advantage of rooftop gardens to participate in the tree-planting drive. Urban dwellers who own land or homes in the countryside or in villages can ask their friends and neighbours to help them plant trees in their gardens.

Cardinal D’Rozario explained that each one of Bangladesh’s eight dioceses has been allotted a number of trees to plant according to its population. The tree-planting drive has also been taken up by organizations such as the Bangladesh Catholic Student Movement (BCSM), as well as the United Forum of Churches who, with its 200,000 Christians of other non-Catholic denominations, have accepted to join in the tree-planting initiative.

Why tree planting?

Of the many possible ways of responding to Pope Francis’ urgent and pertinent appeals in the Laudato si’ Encyclical, the Bishops of Bangladesh opted for a tree-planting drive because it is particularly suitable for the national context and because the idea was well received by the parishes and lay organizations across the dioceses.

Cardinal D’Rozario further explained that the Bishops of Bangladesh had formed a national committee to plan the celebration of the jubilee of the centenary of the birth of the Founding Father of the nation: Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rahman. This jubilee is being celebrated throughout this year, and is followed by the nation’s golden jubilee for the independence of Bangladesh which will last throughout 2021.

Bangladesh attained its freedom from Pakistan on 26 March 1971 and will be marking a year-long celebration from 26 March 2021 to 26 March 2022.

These two jubilees, the Cardinal notes, coincide with the Laudato si’ 5th anniversary which, “could provide Christian and human perspectives to the other two jubilees.”

Besides, Tree planting is also an ongoing movement in many regions in Bangladesh where trees have been destroyed due to erosion, cyclones and deforestation, and where, inspired by the Bishops’ initiative, a program is already being implemented and is aimed at planting one million trees.

Though the Catholic Church makes up only 0.2 percent of the Bangladeshi population, the Cardinal affirms that the Church’s impact is keenly felt. He notes that the initiative contributes to the national tree planting program, giving it a theological, Christian and ecclesial perspective.

Source : Vatican News