Earth Day: Caring for Our Common Home

The Encyclical Letter from Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ On Care for Our Common Home, opens with: “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, 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. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with coloured flowers and herbs”.

The winter storms and wind left a lot of litter behind, which we were able to pickup and dispose of properly at both Stevens and Ocean Avenue locations. The adage “many hands make light work” was put to the test — and proven to be true, especially when picking up branches and sticks that had blown around the front of St. Pius X Church. That wind that comes up from Back Cove and over the hill of Payson Park danced in the trees and shook loose branches from the maple.

It felt good to show our care for the grounds around our churches – our worship spaces – on the sunny Friday that was Earth Day this year. They sure needed it. We needed it, too, as it turns out. Such is often the way when caring for God’s creation and each other.

Many thanks to the parishioners who volunteered, and put their faith into action, reminding us that Earth Day is not just one day each year, but an outlook that sees many opportunities to care.