Knowledge
The 2023 Season of Creation comes to a close on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, next Wednesday, October 4. We have spent the last few weeks renewing our dedication to the work of caring for creation through prayer and action.
The Vatican has announced that on October 4, they will release a new Apostolic Exhortation that is a follow-up to Laudato Si’. It has been much anticipated by those on the front lines of creation care. The Catholic Climate Covenant and Laudato Si’ Movement will host a webinar on Thursday, October 5th at 12:00PM (Eastern), to discuss what this new Exhortation, titled Laudate Deum, means for the US church. It will include presentations summarizing the main themes of the Apostolic Exhortation, and lift the voices of scientists, young people, and those most impacted by the ecological crisis. You can RSVP here.
I hope your journey through the Season of Creation was fruitful and that it will lead you to a renewed desire to take action TODAY for a better future for all of God’s children tomorrow.
Prayer
Peace Prayer (Also called the Prayer of St Francis)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
Action
The Catholic Climate Covenant has released a Season of Creation Call to Action. They are calling Catholics in the US to ask the Biden Administration to forgive the debt of developing nations and stop fossil fuel expansion at COP 28.
Experts say that the world’s use of fossil fuels must decrease by 25% by 2030 if we are to begin to mitigate the deleterious effects of climate change. Just this week, the Financial Times reported on these findings.
To close our actions for this Season of Creation, you can calculate your Carbon Footprint and read simple tips to reduce your personal carbon footprint. Then, take action on as many of these ideas that you can.
One last thing, remember that fossil fuels and plastic are two side of the same coin. Plastic production is a huge user of fossil fuels. Then, when it breaks down, plastic releases carbon, among all its other toxic chemicals, to the environment.
”Courage! The more crosses you have, the more your soul will grow. Let the good God act.” - St. Julie Billiart