10 Catholic Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Today, Earth Day, is a wonderful opportunity to teach about the Catholic principle of Caring for God’s Creation, one of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Here are 10 ways to make your observance of Earth Day truly Catholic:
1. Give praise to our Creator – In the Nicene Creed, we say, “We believe in one God, the Father, the almighty, maker of heaven and earth…” How appropriate that the first sentence of our Creed makes mention of the fact that all of creation comes from God! Pray the Creed. Sing songs of praise such as Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow, How Great Thou Art, and Holy God We Praise Thy Name!
2. Contemplate the wonders of God’s creation – Contemplation (i.e. resting in God’s presence) is an authentically Catholic practice and a way of coming to a deeper appreciation for finding God in all of creation. Take some time to contemplate outdoors. Pope John Paul II said, “Faced with the glory of the Trinity in creation, we must contemplate, sing, and rediscover awe.”
3. Pray, Pray, Pray – pray for those who are at risk from exposure to environmental hazards. Pray for social justice for those who are poor and who suffer disproportionately from environmental destruction. Pray for those with an excess of wealth that they (we) may come to share with others more generously. Pray for future generations that they may benefit from a healthy environment.
4. Create a Garden - participate in God’s ongoing creation by planting a garden. Consider planting a vegetable garden and sharing your “harvest” with those less fortunate. Create a “Mary Garden“, a tradition going back to medieval times that dedicates the garden to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is populated with plants that bear her name. Visit http://www.mgardens.org/index.html
5. Read and study Church documents on caring for God’s creation – Considering creation as sacred is not new to Catholics. The Church has a long tradition of respecting God’s creation. Read up on what both Scripture and Tradition have to say about ecology and the environment. Visit http://conservation.catholic.org/
and http://www.shc.edu/theolibrary/environ.htm.
6. Learn about and teach others about the lives of St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha – These 2 saints are the partron and patroness of ecology. Children especially love to learn the stories of these 2 saints. For St. Francis, visit http://conservation.catholic.org/st__francis_of_assisi.htm
and for Blessed Kateri, visit http://conservation.catholic.org/kateri.htm
7. Learn about ways to help your parish “go green”, “help the parish develop a green streak.”
8. Take the St. Francis Pledge to care for creation and the poor – The St. Francis Pledge, initiated by the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change, is a solemn commitment made by Catholic individuals, groups, and institutions to honor God’s creation and to serve those who are poor.
9. Make a donation to Catholic Relief Services – CRS, the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community, promotes caring for the environment in the U.S. and abroad. Visit their site, http://crs.org/
to learn more about their work and how you can help.
10. Visit the Web site of the Catholic Conservation Center