+Praise be to You!+
May was a busy month, but there is still much happening this summer as we gear up for the Season of Creation starting September 1!
June is a great time to spend in prayer and reflection - seeking the path God has for us to live simply and work collectively to care for each other and our earth.
We invite you to use the resources below from Catholic Charities - Social Concerns to study St. Kateri Tekakwitha or join Indiana Catholic Conference later this summer for a Laudato Si' series - both focused on living our faith through the lens of the Church's social teaching.
And if you have beautiful pictures from your adventures this summer, please share with us on Facebook or Instagram @CommonHomeIndy!
May your day be filled with peace,
All of us on the Creation Care Commission
Cheers to you!
SS Peter & Paul Cathedral starts a new Creation Care Committee! This spring the Cathedral Parish in downtown Indianapolis started a new Creation Care Committee. Their first project is working on recycling in the Cathedral and Rectory. Keep up the good work!
Earth Charter Indiana was a finalist for the prestigious American Climate Leadership Awards this spring! Congratulations for your great work in bringing youth and adults together to address the climate crisis!
Outdoors this Summer
Hoosier Pilgrimage Trail - Explore this Facebook group to find more outdoor pilgrimage sites outside of the Archdiocese! Indiana Catholic artist Alan Inkenbrandt has been photographing and posting pilgrimage sites for several years. Be sure to check out the Geode Grotto in Jasper, IN!
Parish Outdoor Sacred Spaces - Do you have a Mary Garden, Saint Kateri Habitat or Grotto at your parish? Tag us on Facebook or email us a picture and we will include it in a gallery on our website with our Outdoor Sacred Spaces Guide!
Saint Kateri Bioblitz - Catholics across the world are coming together to record plant and animal species on Catholic (and friends) land. Visit Catholic land, download the INaturalist App and record what you see in the Saint Kateri BioBlitz Project! (A project of the Saint Kateri Conservation Center)
Earth Charter Indiana Climate Camp - some spots are still open for middle and high school students at Earth Charter Indiana's (in-person) climate camps in July. Register here.
Host a Sustainable Supper! Getting together with friends, family, and other parishioners outside this summer? A Sustainable Supper is a fun, family-friend way to introduce how God's creation and food related topics are intertwined. The Boston Climate Catholic Movement has a great list of resources as well as a webinar on Sustainable Suppers. This could be done online too!
Landscape with Native Plants - Spring native plants sales are mostly over, but you can start planning your fall wildflower seed sowing and native tree plantings. Get started by taking the native plant pledge to protect water and pollinators!
Around ArchIndy and the World
Saints and Social Justice - each month the Archdiocese Social Concerns will feature a Catholic Saint who exemplified the principals of Catholic Social Teaching in how they lived their lives. July features Saint Kateri Tekakwitha! Use the resource below in your religious education groups, as inserts in the parish bulletin, or on social media as a way to live our faith through the pray, learn, and act model.
Laudato Si' Summer Study - The Indiana Catholic Conference is hosting a Laudato Si' study later this summer as part of a series on the Church's social doctrine. The study will include live sessions with commentary on Laudato Si' from experts in theology, science, politics, and applications to rural and urban life. Be on the lookout for more information soon!
Based in Huntington, IN, the Victory Noll Sisters recently seeded a new Mini Grant Program (through the Catholic Climate Covenant) to spur Laudato Si' efforts in the US. More fundraising is underway this June to be able to provide parishes, dioceses, schools, colleges/universities, and other Catholic non-profit organizations assistance in bringing Laudato Si' to life in their communities. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has previously received grant money from the Catholic Climate Covenant to fund our tree sale and parish outreach efforts. Please help support this program and the efforts of our neighbors by donating to this new fund!
Energy Stewardship for Parishes - Want to help your parish reduce its utility bills while caring for creation through energy efficiency? Learn about Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light’s Thriving Faith Communities program and how your parish can increase its ecological stewardship. If you have participated in our Living Laudato Si' Sustainability Program in the past this is a great supplement! Write to Sarah Mundell, Program Coordinator and liaison for Catholic parishes at: smundell@mundellassociates.com.
Laudato Si' Action Platform - Last month the Vatican released an update about the much-anticipated Laudato Si' Action Platform. Families, parishes, and other groups can now pledge your commitment and will start receiving more information on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis. The platform will "enroll" participants each year. Stay tuned for more information about Archdiocesan wide plans.
Season of Creation 2021 Guide is now available! Find resources centered around the theme "A home for all? Renewing the Oikos of God" at www.seasonofcreation.org
New EcoJesuit online platform for COP26 - What is COP26 and why is it important? How can I participate in a steadfast hope-filled way? Learn more about this UN conference in November and what you can do now and during the summit at www.cop26.ecojesuit.com
List of our past newsletters -You can now find links to our past newsletters on our website at - www.ourcommonhome.org/newsletters. (Find the link in the "News & Reports" header for future use!)
Upcoming Online Events
Laudato Si Week Replays: View all videos from the Laudato Si' Week on the YouTube Channel or Facebook. Some highlights to check out: Dialogue on Energy and Fossil Fuels | Dialogue on Education | Press Conference Laudato Si' Action Platform (English starts about minute 16)
June 12, 8am - Stepping Forward for the Global Common Good (Workshop 1: Global Rules, Local Solutions) - EcoJesuit's first workshop in understanding and participating in the COP26 process. Register here
June 17, 11am - Catholic Impact Investing Collaborative's monthly community forum: Refugee Lens Investing - the deployment of capital toward refugees and the communities hosting them. Register here
June 24, 6:30pm - Indiana Solar 101: Learn about solar energy and its benefits for your home, or small business. Technology, economics, financing, and more information from Solar United Neighbors. Register here
July 10 - Caring for creation is a great way to bring together people of all faiths! On the east side of Indianapolis the Eastside Creation Care Network meets periodically to discuss and work together on creation care projects. Contact Commission member Rosemary Spalding (rgspalding50@gmail.com) if you are interested in attending the next meeting on July 10 or would like more information on starting an ecumenical creation care group in your area.
July 13-15 - Laudato Si’ and the U.S. Catholic Church Conference: Creighton University and the Catholic Climate Covenant are sponsoring this conference to convene, equip, and inspire Catholics who can more deeply integrate Laudato Si’ and its climate change teaching into the U.S. Church. Registration is FREE and now open!
Remember a webinar that you didn't register for or couldn't make? View a list of past creation related webinars on our website at ourcommonhome.org/webinars.
If you have any questions, please contact us at mail@ourcommonhome.org
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter or text creationcare to 84576.
Creation Care Ministry is a pastoral ministry of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
