Care for Creation

The Care for Creation program is diocese-wide and is based on Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. In highlighting Care for Creation in Laudato Si’ we are reminded that God created the world and entrusted it to us as a gift. Now we have the responsibility to care for and protect it and all people, who are part of creation.

Fr. Klamut formed St. Anthony’s Care for Creation group in June 2023.

To date the group has:

• Embarked on a chapter-by-chapter study of ‘Laudato Si’
• Complied photos of nature submitted by parishioners into a video, found at https://youtu.be/6yWopOdVWus
• Held a Nature Hike at Singing Woods in Tawny Park
• Hosted A Little Patch of Prairie: Opening our Lawns to Native Plants presentation by Paul Resnick, Master Naturalist and member of the local Audubon Society and Nature Conservancy
• In collaboration with the Peoria Dioceses Council of Catholic Women, hosted the Care for Creation program launch with the inaugural Diocesan ‘Green Mass’ offered by Bishop Tylka
• Sold Care for Creation T-shirts
• Held a Blessing of our Pets by Deacon Tom in honor of St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day

Here are some suggestions on how you, as an individual and we, as a parish, can put Pope Francis’s encyclical, Laudato Si’: On Care of Our Common Home, into action.

1. Take the St. Francis Pledge to Pray, Act, and Advocate to care for our planet and our vulnerable sisters and brothers.
2. Integrate creation care into all aspects of parish and community life at St. Anthony’s and beyond.
3. Join the Care for Creation group to help mitigate climate change together by working to make a difference, create more sustainable facilities, and advocate for faith-informed climate policies.

Meetings are held once a month on a date and time to be determined.

For more information or to join the Care for Creation group please contact us.

Prayer:

Triune Lord, wondrous community of infinite love, teach us to contemplate you in the beauty of the universe, for all things speak of you. Awaken our praise and thankfulness for every being that you have made. Give us the grace to feel profoundly joined to everything that is.

God of love, show us our place in this world as channels of your love for all the creatures of this earth, for not one of them is forgotten in your sight. Enlighten those who possess power and money that they may avoid the sin of indifference, that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live.

The poor and the earth are crying out. O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life, to prepare for a better future, for the coming of your Kingdom of justice, peace, love and beauty.

Praise be to you!

Amen!

*Page Resources*
*United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Excerpted from “A Christian prayer in union with creation,” in Laudato Si’, no. 246
*https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
*https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/environment/upload/Laudato-Si-Bulletin-Insert.pdf