Catholic Bishops in Ghana Direct Nationwide Masses ahead of World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

Accra, 21 August, 2025 / 9:30 PM

Members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) have called on all the people of God in the West African country to celebrate Holy Masses to commemorate September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.

The Bishops recall that the commemoration on September 1 is linked to Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on “the care of our common home.”

“We, your Bishops, wish to exhort all the Faithful of Christ to celebrate Masses in the various parishes and outstations across the country,” the Catholic Bishops say in their statement dated Wednesday, August 20, and signed by the President of the GCBC, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi of the Catholic Diocese of Sunyani.

The GCBC members outline the set of liturgical readings and prayers for the Mass for the Care of Creation, which were approved by Pope Leo XIV in July.

The readings are as follows: First reading is Wisdom 13:1-9, the Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 19:1-2,3-4 (Response= verse 1a) or Psalm 104:1-2a,5- 6,10.12,24 (Response= verse 31b),Second Reading: Colossians 1:15-20,Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:24-34 or Matthew 8:23-27.

In addition, the Catholic Bishops in Ghana urged the people of God to celebrate the World Day for the Care of Creation annually while they all endeavor to become “effective stewards of God's Creation.”

Here is the approved set of Liturgical prayers for the Mass for the Care of Creation:

MASS FOR THE CARE OF CREATION

Entrance Antiphon

The heavens declare the Glory of God,

and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.

 Collect

God our Father,

who in Christ, the firstborn of all creation,

called all things into being,

grant, we pray, that docile to the life-giving breath of your Spirit, we may lovingly care for

the work of your hands.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

 

Prayer over the Offerings

Receive, O Father,

these fruits of the earth and of our hands:

(Story continues below)

bring to completion in them the work of your creation,

so that, transformed by the Holy Spirit,

they may be for us the food and drink of eternal life. Through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 

Prayer after Communion

May the sacrament of unity

which we have received, O Father,

increase communion with you and with our brothers and sisters,

so that, as we await the new heavens and the new earth,

we may learn to live in harmony with all creatures. Through Christ our Lord.