September 1 – October 4, 2024

The Season of Creation is celebrated annually by tens of thousands of Christians around the world. During the Season of Creation, we pray and act to protect God’s creation.

The Season of Creation is celebrated by Christians across the ecumenical spectrum, and the leaders of many faiths traditions have encouraged us to participate.

The season begins on September 1, the Day of Prayer for Creation, and runs through October 4, the Feast of St. Francis, who is the patron saint of ecology in many traditions.

This season is a special time for the Creator and each other. Some of us pray, some of do hands-on projects, some of us advocate. We all protect creation.

Key 2024 Dates & Events

Under construction. Check back for what we have planned for this year’s celebration.
 

 

Celebrating the Season of Creation

We know how to celebrate Advent, observe Lent, rejoice at Easter. But how might we observe the non-liturgical Season of Creation? As a parish, we have planned our liturgies around this beautiful Season when we celebrate all of God’s creation. As individuals and families, we can create our own traditions too. Plant a tree. Help preserve a forest. Take walks in nature. Support national parks. Shrink our carbon footprint. Remember, creation isn’t simply around us. We are part of it.

How will we celebrate the Season of Creation? The Creator is awaiting our response.

 

About this year’s theme

 

The 2023 theme is: “To hope and act with creation.”

The symbol for 2024 is
The firstfruits of hope

 
Hope is an instrument enabling us to overcome the natural law of decay. Hope is given to us by God as a protection and guard against futility. Only through hope we may realize the gift of freedom in fullness. Freedom to act not only to achieve enjoyment and prosperity, but to reach the stage in which we are free and responsible. Freedom and responsibility enable us to make the world a better place. Only when we work together with Creation can the firstfruits of hope emerge.
 

In the letter of Paul the apostle to the Romans, the biblical image pictures the Earth as a Mother, groaning as in childbirth (Rom 8:22). Francis of Assisi understood this when he referred to the Earth as our sister and our mother in his Canticle of Creatures. The times we live in show that we are not relating to the Earth as a gift from our Creator, but rather as a resource to be used.

And yet, there is hope and the expectation for a better future. To hope in a biblical context does not mean to stand still and quiet, but rather groaning, crying, and actively striving for new life amidst the struggles. Just as in childbirth, we go through a period of intense pain, but new life springs forth.

To delve deeper into the theological reflection that guides the 2024 theme and symbol, find more information here

Questions for Contemplation

How will we, as individuals, and as the Church …

  • Recognize God’s ownership of the whole Earth, and all our “possessions,” and release what we have back to God, both spiritually and practically?
  • Recognize our total dependency on God and his creation?
  • Receive God’s provision, in patience and trust? How can we glorify God for the hope we have in Christ, who restores and redeems the Earth?
  • What changes will we see for those who are poor, and the land we enslave?
  • How will we practice auditing our own mistreatment of the Earth, and committing to new practices individually and as worshipping communities?
  • Born of grace, we pray that the Lord who is our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer will touch our hearts and that of the human family during this Season of Creation.

Look for celebration opportunities in the weeks ahead and specially-selected liturgical prayers and music drawing attention to this very special season. In the meantime, here are some suggestions for what you can do today and throughout the year to respond to this important vocational call:

  • Read Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. It challenges us to “hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” through ecological conversion, changes in lifestyle and society, and strong political action. 
  • Take the Laudato Si’ Pledge to (1) pray for and with creation, (2) live more simply, and (3) advocate for protection of our common home.
  • Join The Madeleine’s Laudato Si’ Circle. Laudato Si’ Circles are small groups meeting regularly to deepen their relationship with God as Creator and all members of creation, and operates from a model of Prayer, Reflection, and Action. Contact: Bill Hunter, wjhunterjr@gmail.com.
  • Participate in The Madeleine’s expanded recycling program. Open to the larger community—invite and encourage friends and neighbors to join in our collection efforts. [Download flyer here]
  • Participate in the Earthkeepers Vacation Bible Program with self-paced reading materials, videos, and activities for children and adults and based on the principles of Laudato Si’. 

Join us on a journey to pray for creation, live simply, and advocate for our common home.