Happy Easter!
As we celebrate our new life in heaven and on earth this Easter, let's all make a new commitment in our work to care for God's creation.
As Pope Francis noted in his Easter message, "...everything begins anew! A new path leads through that empty tomb: the path that none of us, but God alone, could open: the path of life in the midst of death, the path of peace in the midst of war, the path of reconciliation in the midst of hatred, the path of fraternity in the midst of hostility."
Find resources and events in this edition of our newsletter to help forge your new path this Easter season, during the "Earth Month" of April and for Laudato Si' Week celebration May 19-26!
Sincerely in Christ,
All of us on the Creation Care Commission
Around ArchIndy
Head out to St. Bartholomew on Earth Day, April 22 at 6pm for a choral concert involving all ages and the larger Columbus community. Music will be based on Pope Francis' Laudato Si' message and its seven goals as well as other titles with the message of peace and hope.
Visit ArchIndy Creation Care Ministry booth at the family-friendly Indy Creation Fest on Saturday, April 27 at Grace Church in Noblesville, IN.
AES customers with old lighting in their gyms maybe be eligible for little to no cost upgrade to LED lighting. Local environmental firm Mundell & Associates is available to assist Catholic schools and parishes through the process.
Contact Andy Miller at amiller@mundellassociates.com or 812-322-6554 to get started.
Spring Native Plant Sales - Orders are now open for the Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab at Marian University's annual native plant sale.
Why plant native? Some of the many benefits include: less need for artificial fertilizers, ability to conserve water in their natural habitat, vital habitats for birds and other species of local wildlife.
More native plant sales
Looking for a fun outdoor activity this spring or summer? Visit one of ArchIndy's outdoor sacred spaces!
Need some practical ideas to get starting on your ecological journey? We need a close connection with not only the earth but our fellow neighbor. Meet up with other Indy residents at Thrive Indianapolis' new, on-site community series.
ArchIndy Commission in the community - the past couple of months we had some nice "meet ups" with confirmation classes, youth at the NCYC, parishes interested in energy audits and connecting with Archdiocesan employees at the Catholic Center.
Earth Day (April 22) / Laudato Si Week (May 19-26) Programs
Healing Our Throwaway Culture: A Focus on Plastics - a one-hour educational and prayer program from the Catholic Climate Covenant. Perfect for families, parishes, schools, and religious communities. This program focuses on the growing problem of plastic pollution and complements the secular Earth Day theme of “Planet vs. Plastics”. Get the guide
Laudato Si' Week ("Seeds of Hope") - Laudato Si' Week is an eight-day campaign held annually in May to mark the anniversary of Pope Francis' landmark encyclical on creation care. See daily themes and sign up to receive notifications about Laudato Si' Week from the Laudato Si' Movement.
21 Day Environmental Challenge - Starting anytime - walk with other Catholics to learn pray and take action for environmental justice with the Ignatian Solidarity Network Challenge.
Plastic Jesus: Real Faith in a Synthetic World - an ecumenical Earth Day program from Creation Justice Ministries to equip faith communities to protect, restore, and more rightly share God's creation. Get the program
Beyond Local
Funding from the Victory Noll small grants program is back! Catholic groups working in the areas of creation care are invited to apply for small grants of $500- $1,000. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2024. Learn more
Laudato Si' Action Platform (LSAP) - Join the global Catholic Church on journey to global sustainability and spiritual conversion. Sign up as an individual, parish, school or organization to track your progress.
Register today for the National Eucharistic Congress held in Indianapolis, July 17-21. Whether you can come for only one day or all five, you are invited to experience profound personal renewal and be set ablaze to share Christ’s love with your community.
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.
