A sacrament marks a new chapter in a person’s life of faith. At the Parish of Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Gattaran, Cagayan, that new beginning is also taking root through a simple act of stewardship: planting a tree.
For years, the parish has encouraged families receiving the sacraments, particularly Baptism, to bring a fruit-bearing tree seedling. The seedling is brought to the altar with the child, blessed, and then taken home to be planted and nurtured.
As the child grows, so does the tree. In time, it can provide shade and bear fruit for others, becoming a living reminder of Baptism and the family’s responsibility to nurture life.
Parish priest Fr. Ramiro Geronimo said the practice is a concrete way of living the spirituality of stewardship and putting Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ into practice.
“By planting a fruit-bearing tree on their baptism day, we put the message of Laudato Si’ into practice. It gives our children a living gift that grows alongside them, reminding us that caring for nature is part of our Christian duty,” Fr. Geronimo said.
The initiative also reflects the parish’s journey of missionary conversion, where faith moves beyond sacramental celebrations and becomes visible in everyday life. Through planting and caring for a tree, families are invited to recognize creation as a gift entrusted to them and to take responsibility for its care.
While the practice is observed throughout the year, it carries added significance during the Season of Creation, from September 1 to October 4, when the Church calls the faithful to renew their commitment to caring for our common home.
Families are encouraged to bring locally suitable fruit-bearing seedlings such as mango, calamansi, rambutan, or jackfruit.
The parish invites families to make every sacramental celebration an opportunity to begin something that can continue to grow long after the celebration: plant a tree, nurture it, and let it bear fruit for generations to come.
In Gattaran, a seedling becomes more than a tree. It becomes a small but living sign of faith taking root, stewardship in action, and missionary conversion bearing fruit.