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Care for God’s Creation
Plant native specimens in your garden, saving watering and some maintenance costs.
Buy organically grown food.
Walk or ride a bike.
Clean up trash.
Practice the 3 R’s
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Buy and use a reusable-grocery bag, reduce the use of plastic bags.
Reduce energy use, replace regular light bulbs with "Compact Fluorescent Lamps" (CFL)
Pray for social justice for the poor and vulnerable who suffer disproportionately from environmental destruction.
Pray for the unborn and the children who are at risk from exposure to environmental hazards.
Pray for the courage to resist the "Throw away" culture in our society.
11. Obtain and use a reusable drinking cup, resist the temptation to use throw away cups.
12. Resist the temptation to make discussions about climate change into a polarized and partisan debate.
13. Pray for the courage to speak out in support of the Common Good and the poor regarding environmental decisions.
14. On August 27, 2006, Pope Benedict said creation is "exposed to serious risks by life choices and lifestyles that can degrade it."
Pray about how your lifestyle and choices could degrade creation. 15. 34,000 people die every day for lack of clean water: one and a half billion people do not have access to clean water. Pray for those who are working to correct these problems.
16. Keep your pet in a safe environment, away from traffic and wild animals.
17. Support planning efforts of local municipalities to establish zoned areas that are maintained in a natural state.
18. Eat vegetarian: half the land use, twice the food for humans.
19. Participate in a neighborhood beautification project in a poor neighborhood.
20. Organize a park clean-up.
21. Join a local Community Supported Agriculture farm. Eat healthily and save transportation energy costs.
22. Organize a recycling program for our parish for Compact Florescent Lamps, used batteries, and inkjet cartridges.
23. Visit the US Bishops web site WWW.USCCB.ORG/SDWP/EJP/CLIMATE Learn about Catholic Teaching and programs that protect the environment.
24. Celebrate the special liturgies or prayer services focused on God’s creation (for example St. Francis, Rogation Days, and earth Day)
25. Use the resources of the earth carefully by conducting environmental or energy audits of our parish grounds, recycling, composting, or gardening organically.
26. Educate our parish by sponsoring or participating in classes and workshops on Catholic theology/spiritually and the environment, environmental study groups, lecture series, or offering videos to view.
27. Engage our youth in activities like wilderness experiences, and litter or environmental cleanups.
28. Promote public policy activities such as letter writing campaigns, interfaith events, meetings with government representatives, and community events.
29. Advocate and organize around health issues, including toxic waste cleanup, elimination of harmful pesticides, soil and water conservation, lead poisoning prevention, sustainable development, and alternative energy sources.
30. Examine our responsibilities in terms of issues particular to our community whether in urban, rural or suburban areas.
31. Support financially or as a volunteer the work of Catholic Organizations like the National Council of Catholic Women, Catholic relief Services, the Campaign for Human Development, National Catholic Rural Life Conference. Help them promote care for the environment in the US and abroad.
32. Learn about, and encourage our parish, to become a "St. Francis Model" parish.
33. Visit the web site WWW.NCRLC.COM Learn how Rural Catholics work to protect the environment. Join in their efforts.
34. View the US Bishop’s video titled "The Earth is The Lord’s." Discuss the insights gained from the video with other parishioners and neighbors or friends.
35. View the award winning video "An Inconvenient Truth." Download the "Educators Guide"from web site WWW.PARTICIPATE.NET/EDUCATORS/ Use the guide to examine your own activities and evaluate their impact on the environment.
This is also available from the
Diocesan Religious Education Office
36. View the U. S. Bishop’s Video "The Mouses Tale." Learn how International food production affects hunger and famine. U. S. Bishops’ publishing item # 605-0
37. Visit the web site WWW.COOPAMERICA.ORG
Learn how to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
38. Read the US Bishops June 15, 2001-letter titled "Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialog, Prudence and the Common Good." Learn how to respond to Global Climate Change with Catholic Social Moral values.
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