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Let Justice and Peace Flow…. this year’s theme for the Season of Creation which begins on September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and ends 4 October, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology. The prophet Amos cries out, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24).
"A mighty river" is the symbol chosen to represent this theme. Prophet Isaiah proclaims “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43: 19). This mighty river symbolizes biodiversity at risk. When we join the river of justice and peace with others, in addressing climate and ecological justice…and choose to speak out with and for communities most impacted….. it creates hope rather than despair.
2023 Season of Creation will be an opportunity to pray, reflect and act together as the People of God for our common home. The ecumenical family will come together on a synodal path of care for our common home through justice and peace.” - Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
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We are all invited to join this special season. Please take this opportunity to watch the 2023 Season of Creation Theme launch on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8WmHQXXVkE&t=78s&ab_channel=LaudatoSi%27Movement.
Our youth are our future and they too are called upon to protect “our common home”. The following link provides “12 Ways Young People Can Live Laudato Si”.
https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/app/uploads/2023/06/12-ways-youth-lsap-052023-a4.pdf?
Our individual actions during the Season of Creation are very impactful. Celebrating creation, taking part in clean-ups, planting trees, and reducing our carbon footprint are some of the immediate actions we can take. No one is too young or old.
2023 SEASON OF CREATION PRAYER
Creator of All,
From your communion of love life sprung forth like a mighty river and the whole cosmos came into being.
On this Earth of overflowing love, the Word was made flesh and went forth with the life-giving waters proclaiming peace and justice for all creation.
You called human beings to till and keep your garden. You placed us into right relationship with each creature, but we failed to listen to the cries of the Earth and the cries of the most vulnerable. We broke with the flowing communion of love and sinned against you by not safeguarding the conditions for life.
We lament the loss of our fellow species and their habitats, we grieve the loss of human cultures, along with the lives and livelihoods that have been displaced or perished, and we ache at the sight of an economy of death, war and violence that we have inflicted on ourselves and on the Earth.
Open our ears to your creative, reconciling and sustaining Word that calls to us through the book of Scripture and the book of creation. Bless us once again with your life-giving waters so that the Creator Spirit may let justice and peace flow in our hearts and overflow into all creation.
Open our hearts to receive the living waters of God’s justice and peace, and to share it with our suffering brothers and sisters, all creatures around us, and all creation.
Bless us to walk together with all people of good will so that the many streams of the living waters of God’s justice and peace may become a mighty river all over the Earth.
In the name of the One who came to proclaim good news to all creation, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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Lord, we come before you in darkness and look for your dawn.
We listen for Your still, small voice
in the midst of the storm.
Help us hear Your words and speak them to others.
Help us change the ways we live,
that we may shine a light
that leads the world to You.
As You brought new life to the world,
bring new life to us today,
that we may share it abundantly with others.
United in hope,
bound by our love for each other and the home we share,
we pray this in your name, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
(Laudato SiLent.org)
Lent is a time of preparation for Easter as we fast, pray and give alms. Laudato Si Lent asks that we move away from “ecological sin and move towards ecological conversion”.
To help us on this journey, Pope Francis invites all of us to watch the documentary “The Letter”. This film gives us a rare glimpse into the lives and work of “4 voices” .
Spanning from the Amazon, India, Senegal and Hawaii, we have the opportunity to watch their journey to Rome…They meet with Pope Francis and share their experiences on the poor, indigenous, youth and wildlife. “The Letter” can be found on the following link:
https://www.theletterfilm.org/watch/
Our commitment to ecological conversion during this Lenten season can be further enhanced. St. Aloysius and Notre Dame, churches that are part of Archdiocese of Newark Environmental Justice Ministry, compiled ways in which we can care for our common home each week of Lent. You may be surprised how many ways you can help.
Learn How You Can Help
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2022 Season of Creation Prayer
SOC-2022-Celebration- GuideIn this Season of Creation, we pray that you would call to us, as from the burning bush, with the sustaining fire of your Spirit.
Breathe upon us. Open our ears and move our hearts. Turn us from our inward gaze. Teach us to contemplate your creation and listen for the the voice of each creation declaring your glory. For “faith comes from hearing”.
Give us hearts to listen for the good news of your promise to renew the face of the Earth. Enlighten us with the grace to follow the Way of Christ as we learn to walk lightly upon this holy ground.
Fill us with the hope to quench the fires of injustice with the light of your healing love that sustains our common home.
God who listens to every living thing,
Help us listen as you do. Amen
During the month of September we are encouraged to listen, reflect and act on behalf of individuals, communities, species and ecosystems that are lost or threatened.
The Burning Bush is a symbol of God’s call to all of us to listen to the voice of creation and faithfully respond through prayer, reflection and action. We invite you to write your prayers, intentions or commitment for the Season of Creation on digital red ribbons; adorning our bush with hope, prayer and positive change.
Virtual Burning Bush
Please join the Social Justice Ministry in our launch Creation Care event…Honey Bee Presentation..September 15, 2022, 7-8:30 pm, in the lower gathering space.
Peace be with you…
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“Laudato Si’ Week 2022 will be celebrated May 22-29, designating the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home”. This global recognition will unite Catholics to listen and respond together in caring for all of creation, “walking the Synodal path”.
Please join us in celebration and reflection of our acknowledgement and actions towards ecological conversion through the seven goals of the Laudato Si’ action platform: response to the cry of the poor, response to the cry of the earth, ecological economics, community engagement and participatory actions, ecological spirituality, ecological education and adoption of simple lifestyles.
For a global calendar of events highlighting a different goal and region in the world, please visit https://laudatosiweek.org/allevents/ . To join us in week long prayer, please visit https://laudatosimovement.org/news/laudato-si-week-2022-prayers/.
God bless you.
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