Parishes celebrate Season of Creation with prayers, picnics, blessings, Masses
Churches through the Archdiocese of Newark are listening to Cardinal Joseph Tobin’s letter of June 23, 2023, calling for action, and responsible stewardship of God’s creation. During the Season of Creation, from Sept. 1 (World Day of Prayer for Creation) to Oct. 4 (Feast of St. Francis), church environmental ministries will be holding informational sessions, raffling off environmentally friendly items, blessing animals, handing out prayer cards, and holding special Masses, one with Cardinal Tobin.
During the Season of Creation, the Catholic Church joins with other faiths to celebrate the Season of Creation by praying and acting together to protect our common home.
This year’s theme is: “Let Peace and Justice Flow.” Prophet Amos cries out “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5: 24). We are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity.
In June 2015, Pope Francis released his environmental encyclical, Laudate Si’. In his encyclical, the Holy Father stated that “if the simple fact of being human moves people to care for the environment of which they are a part, Christians in their turn realize that their responsibility within creation, and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are an essential part of their faith.”
In his June 23 Rejoice in the Lord newsletter, Cardinal Tobin wrote: “Although it is a prophetic statement with many challenges for us to consider, Laudato Si’ is also a song of hope and joy inspired by the ‘Canticle of the Sun’ written by St. Francis of Assisi as a hymn of praise to the Lord of all creation. ‘Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, who is the day and through whom you give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness to you, Most High. Our world is confronted with serious challenges—social, political, economic, and environmental—that the pope tells us are, in reality, one crisis of ‘integral ecology’.”
ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH, WESTWOOD
Sue Leyden, Parish Liaison
On Sept. 1, the parish distributed and posted on its Care for Creation webpage, Cardinal Tobin’s letter of June 23, Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and Pope Francis’ videos: A Planet to be Cared For and Video Message, Laudato Si’. The Season of Creation was also announced in the parish bulletin and on posters displayed throughout the church.
The Parish Creation Care Circle has donated three “free raffle” prizes: a tree; a wicker basket of eco-friendly and handmade children’s toys with books about Greta Thunberg; and a wicker basket of eco-friendly kitchen supplies including Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home Encyclical and Living Without Plastic books. They will be raffled off at the Parish Picnic on Sept. 17.
A Blessing of the Animals will take place around Oct.4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
ST. ANASTASIA, TEANECK
Glenn Miller, Parish Liaison
In Teaneck, St. Anastasia Church’s Garden Care Ministry and its Community Garden Project have been very productive, yielding fresh vegetables for those with food insecurity.
ST. CATHARINE’S CHURCH, GLEN ROCK
Ann Marie Brennan, Parish Liaison
During the Season of Creation, St. Catherine’s liturgist Sally Trahan will have a common entrance Song – “Canticle of the Sun” and there will be a petition during the Universal Prayer taken from the Season of Creation resources each week. Themed décor by the environmental committee will represent the “Mighty River.”
A “Mass on the Grass” will be held at noon on Sunday, Sept. 24. Several Parish Ministry Groups are helping to prepare for the Liturgy and the social following.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, HILLSDALE
Edna Lord, Parish Liaison
St. John the Baptist’s Aug. 20 Bulletin included a notice for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and the Season of Creation.
The church distributed the 2023 Season of Creation Prayer Cards to parishioners and the prayer was included in the Ecumenical Season of Creation Celebration Guide.
SACRED HEART CHURCH, LYNDHURST
Gerald Dalzell, Parish Liaison
At Sacred Heart, the bulletins will include Laudato Si’ suggestions for responsible stewardship of God’s creation and care for our common home using resources from the Catholic Climate Covenant.
OUR LADY OF MERCY, PARK RIDGE, NJ
Patricia Dellosso and Virginia Millard, Parish Liaisons
In celebration of World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and Season of Creation, Cardinal Tobin will be the principal celebrant at 11 a.m. on Sept. 17. A large poster displaying the Cardinal’s Letter of June 23 will be placed in the gathering space. The Parish Picnic will also be held that day. The Creation Care Team will be selling reusable water bottles themed: “Do Something Drastic – Cut the Plastic.” Proceeds will be donated to OLM’s Capital Campaign in support of environmentally conscious improvements.
Weekly challenges to be Eco-Friendly have been published in the bulletin and the OLM website. Ideas for the challenge came from the Climate Book by Greta Thunberg and Living Without Plastic by Bridgette Allen and Christine Wong.
The Blessing of the Animals will take place on Oct. 7 at the St. Francis of Assisi statue. St. Francis medals and prayer cards will be distributed.
