“The Earth is what we all have in common.”
It is indeed an easy task to love the nature through our words and profess about environment day in the society but the real challenge comes in practicing what we preach! We all have had a childhood where we learnt and joted bogus quotes and speeches on environment day concluding it with a piece of advice for everyone to be a caretaker of the nature but we all have realized a failure caretaker in us somewhere fulfilling our selfish desires regardless of the harm to the nature. A Catholic priest from the Eparchy of Kalyan is reminding us about leading an eco-friendly life that is a significant need of this very hour.
Fr. Franklin Joseph, director of Kalyan Media Cell (Kalyan Diocese) finds time to be an example for not only the faithful of the Eparchy but also to others, by peddling for an eco friendly life! The priest who owns a bicycle peddles proudly by urging others to join him to help heal the environment. He, along with some of his parishioners of St. Thomas Forane Church, Kalina, who have bicycles, goes for long rides highlighting the importance to reduce the usage of carbon emissions of big vehicles. The journey clearly abides us to think about an eco friendly life with a healthy daily routine! Fr. Franklin along with 3 of his parishioners peddles from Kalina to Goregaon, Powai, Haji Ali, Dadar, Juhu Beach (places in Mumbai) from early morning 5:00 to 6:30 am. Fr. Franklin believes that facing the day with the brightness of the sunshine makes them feel afresh early in the morning itself by awaking in them a warrior to live the day with positive vibes and fighting against all the odds!
Fr. Franklin remarks “When we are travelling by motor vehicles, our speed is higher and we don’t notice the pain and difficulties of others. While I am cycling to my KMC office, the speed is lesser and have time to see what others are doing on the streets.” Futher, he adds, “I have come across many people and children who sleeps on the streets and it was an opportunity to interact with them in simpler manner. I remember the “Thank you bhaiya” (Thank you brother) of a child, to whom I had given chocolates once. ” Fr. Franklin highlights that simplicity is the new trend that we should adapt. He urges and invites people to join him in cycling, asking them to cherish each moment of life by observing life with calmness and serenity.
The Eparchy of Kalyan celebrates ‘Diocesan Environment Day’ on 2nd October, the day that also commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Reflecting on this thought, Jebin Jacob, a youth of the diocese highlighted that “The whole world knows that Gandhi was a political leader and a revolutionary of an extraordinary type. It is also widely known that he was a humanist and pacifist of international fame. But very few people know that he was an environmentalist too. This is primarily because the environmental problems have surfaced largely in the post-Gandhian era and as such, the concern for environment has assumed importance only in recent years. Nevertheless, there were people in the past too who would foresee the future and visualize the dangers inherent in the kind of development the nations chose to go in for following the Industrial revolution in the west. On this diocesan environment day, let us take a vow to protect our planet by sacrificing our few unwanted luxuries like by walking or using bicycle for short distance etc. Let us give our future generations a better world!” The Diocese of Kalyan finds immense pleasure in finding the youth of the eparchy fulfilling their tinge of social and moral responsibilities. Joselyn Joseph, a youth of the Kalyan Diocese pointed out that “simple initiatives like opting for cycling or utilizing public transportation for short distances are some of the solutions that we can implement in our daily lives for a better eco-friendly future.”
The Diocese of Kalyan has always stood as a pioneer in guiding the society to a better tomorrow. Through this Diocesan Environment Day, the Eparchy reminds that it is indeed our personal responsibility to take care of the environment and underlines the importance of protecting the nature as it is the need of the hour!
“The Greatest Threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”- Robert Swan
