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World Water Day 2025 Focuses on Glacier Preservation March 13th, 2025
Contributed by: Bishop Michael Pfeifer, OMI (Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of San Angelo)
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In 1993 the UN General Assembly designated March 22nd as World Water Day (WWD). This observance is one of the largest international days. Each year the UN selects a theme for World Water Day, and the theme chosen for World Water Day 2025 is Glacier Preservation.
In this article I share much information from UN.org and UN Water. A glacier is a river of ice often covered in snow, slowly moving down a valley from a mountainous area, with its melting waters flowing downstream. The UN points out that glaciers are critical to the water cycle. They provide essential supplies of fresh water for drinking water, for sanitation systems, agriculture, industry, clean energy production and healthy ecosystems. We are told that glaciers are melting faster than ever before.
Perhaps it is a little surprising that World Water Day focuses on glacier preservation, as glaciers are believed to be thousands of miles away from where we live. But we are learning the important part they play in the bigger picture of the importance of water on planet Earth. Water Day is a day to remember that water is an essential element for all life on planet Earth.
First and foremost, on Water Day we should thank our loving God and Creator for giving us this wonderful life-giving gift. In the first book of the Bible, we read how and why God gave us the gift of water in His plan for all of creation. World Water Day is a time to ask how we can better appreciate and use the water we deal with day by day. We start in our homes, asking the question how are we using the wonderful gift of water, or sadly perhaps abusing and wasting this gift.
And we then look at the sources of water that are closest to us like ponds, rivers and lakes and what we should do to keep them safe and clean. Because water is necessary for all of us, we need to take strong action, individually, in our families, in our schools, in our churches, in all our communities, in our workplaces, and in all levels of government about how we can better protect and provide water for our lives, and for all people on planet Earth.
WWD is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis beginning with the place where we live. As water is necessary for all life it is considered a human right for all people throughout the world. But sadly, on this World Water Day we are faced with the reality that 2.2 billion of our brothers and sisters on planet Earth live without access to safe clean water which has devastating impacts on the health and very life of whole societies. Some may ask: Why do people live in places without clean water? Most of these people do not have much choice in where they live. Many reside in the same communities they were born in – which they have called home for generations.
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Introducing a Champion Tree at the Missionary Oblates Novitiate November 26th, 2024
- Visit the National Register of Champion Trees to find one in your area: https://www.americanforests.org/champion-trees/
Friends & Community Gather at Three Part Harmony (3PH) Farm’s Annual Fall Festival November 5th, 2024
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- Preparing garlic for planting
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- Preparing garlic for planting
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- Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI prepares garlic for planting
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- Gail Taylor, Proprietor & Farmer of Three Part Harmony & Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI find rest under a tree
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- Janice Cooke (middle) poses with friends
Celebrating the Season of Creation at Sacred Heart Church: Oakland, CA October 2nd, 2024
Contributed by Fr. Jack Lau, OMI
International World Day of Peace for a city wide clean up “From Creek to Bay.” We joined with 35 other groups from all over the city, over 500 volunteers! For our part, we collected over 250 Gallons of trash.
2024 Season of Creation: Join the Global Movement to Nurture Our Planet August 30th, 2024
The firstfruits of hope (Romans 8:19-25)
The Season of Creation is an annual celebration of prayer and action for our common home, celebrated by Christians everywhere from September 1 to October 4. This year’s theme is “To hope and act with Creation.”
Oblate Scholastic Musonda Choto, OMI and Fr. Jack Lau, OMI prepare Sacred Heart Church, Oakland, CA for the Season as shown in these are photos.
