Bishop of Northampton gives trees to schools in commemoration of COP26 summit

Each of the Catholic Schools in the Northampton diocese were given a tree by their Bishop, David Oakley, and the diocesan NORES team, to plant in their school to commemorate COP26.

The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Pope Francis had been due to attend the summit but has now announced that he will send the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin. The Pope has recently undergone colon surgery and it is thought this is the reason for this change in his schedule.

As Northampton schools gathered for their annual diocesan schools Mass in St Mary’s Catholic Church, Dunstable, Bishop blessed the infant trees urging the students to recognise the tree’s as a metaphor, saying:

Trees must be given the space and the freedom to grow, just as our Church must be the space and freedom to grow. We must be a people who appreciate creation and look after it.

Bishop David’s homily can be viewed here

Governments agree that the world is warming and collective action is now required to save the planet. The meeting in Glasgow from 31st October to 12th November could lead to major changes to our everyday lives.

Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for Environmental Issues, has joined Catholic leaders from the G20 Countries in calling for fossil fuels to be consigned to history.