Dear Brothers and Sisters of Saint Patrick and Saint Malachi Parishes,
On Tuesday, September 1, Pope Francis invites us to observe the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, which will, as he stated in 2015, “offer individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live.”
From September 1 to October 4 (Feast of Saint Francis), we’re encouraged to participate in this Season of Creation by consciously examining the way we choose to live in the world and the impact we make on our own environment. This includes local choices having global impacts.
While this Season of Creation is not a liturgical season per se, it does call Christians to be mindful of areas where we can contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the beautiful creation entrusted to us as God’s stewards. We will be incorporating special intentions and prayers into the liturgy to foster a deeper call to our individual and communal awareness.
As Caring for God’s Creation is a key theme of Catholic social teaching we appreciate its relation to all the other important areas, as we stress the dignity of human life and serve the common good. Please join us during these upcoming weeks as we prayerfully consider the call to care for God’s creation and find ways in which we can actively contribute to honoring what he has entrusted to us and to all people of good will.
Yours in Christ,
