September 1 – October 4, 2023
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 2023 Dates & Events
August 31, 5:00 pm, Main Church:
Hour of Adoration/Prayer as we begin the Season of Creation. Led by Fr. Bonaventure Rummel, Deacon Mike O’Mahoney, Therese Fenzl, and Marilyn Robb.
September 15, 11:00 am • City Hall: Global Climate Strike
Join Madeleine parishioners and Laudato Si’ Movement people carrying The Madeleine Care for Creation banner at the Global Climate Strike, 11 am Friday, September 15 at City Hall.
Those who can take off work and school will gather at 9:30 am at 24th and Siskiyou to take the #17 bus to City Hall.
October 1, 11:00 am • Parish Courtyard: Gathering and Closing Prayer
Laudato Si’ / Season of Creation Gathering to close out the Season of Creation and continue the call of Pope Francis for immediate action and advocacy in caring for our Common Home.
Join us for an Ecumenical Prayer Service with a focus on the theme, “Let Justice and Peace Flow.” A meditative opportunity to reflect on God’s mercy and healing and the next steps we can each take as co-healers of our planet.
Celebrating 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.
September is filled with these special opportunities to honor, respect, and protect creation in its many forms:
- September 4—Labor Day; International Day of Charity
- September 10—Suicide Prevention Day; Grantparents’ Day
- September 11—22nd Anniversary of 9/11
- September 16—World Ozone Day
- September 17—Catechetical Sunday
- September 21—International Day of Peace
- September 25—World Day of Migrants and Refugees
- September 26—Day to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons
- September 27—World Tourism Day
- October 1—Respect Life Sunday; International Day of Older Persons
How will we celebrate the Season of Creation? The Creator is awaiting our response.
About this year’s theme
The 2023 theme is: “Let Justice and Peace Flow.”
A mighty river is the symbol for the Season of Creation 2023. The Prophet Amos cries out “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:24) and so we are called to join the river of justice and peace, to take up climate and ecological justice, and to speak out with and for communities most impacted by climate injustice and the loss of biodiversity.
The Prophet Isaiah proclaims “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19) We are invited to join the river of justice and peace on behalf of all Creation and to converge our individual identities, of name, family or faith community, in this greater movement for justice, just like tributaries come together to form a mighty river. As the People of God, we must work together on behalf of all Creation, as part of that mighty river of peace and justice.
The world humans have known, enjoyed and celebrated is changing rapidly beyond repair. Biodiversity is being lost at a rate not seen since the last mass extinction. The hope of keeping average temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius is fading. The futures of young people are threatened by the cascading impacts of the loss of biodiversity and a changing climate. Industrialization, colonization and the extraction and consumption of resources have created great wealth, unequally distributed. We are presently more aware than ever of the link between fossil fuels, and violence and war.
The urgency grows and we must make visible peace with Earth and on Earth, at the same time that justice calls us to repentance and a change of attitude and actions. Instead of despair, hope can be created if we work together as the People of God. By the Creator’s infinite love and mercy, streams can rise in the desert. An economy of peace can be built instead of an economy based on conflict.
Our prayers, sermons and liturgies must call for justice not only for humans but for all Creation. Justice, allied with peace, calls us to repent of our ecological sins and to change our attitudes and actions. Righteousness demands that we live in peace, not conflict with our human neighbors, and building right relationships with all of Creation. Our individual actions during the Season of Creation are important. We must also recognize that, for a mighty movement of justice, individual actions are not enough. Justice also includes paying historic debts. At a global level, nations with power and wealth have a duty to deal justly and honestly with communities that suffer most from the climate and ecological crises.
“We live in very turbulent and troubling times as we continue to struggle for world peace and the reconciliation and unity of all creation. We are surrounded by war, violence, climate challenges and unjust systems that continue to dehumanise and oppress people around the globe. Christians are urged to join with God in the ever-flowing river for justice and peace in the world.” – Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, General Secretary, World Council of Churches
“An ecological lifestyle is not about pauperism or austerity, but an invitation to modesty and simplicity that increases our freedom to live as we ought regardless of our economic means. To live simply allows both the poor and rich to share in a common solidarity with each other and with creation, remembering where all resources ultimately come from.” – Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Ukranian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and Bishop David Malloy, Archdiocese of Rockford, Illinois. Gudziak and Malloy are chairs of the Domestic and International Justice and Peace Committees for the U. S. Bishops’ Conference.
Jubilee for the Earth Podcasts
Jubilee for the Earth” is a podcast mini-series about biodiversity and our sacred story produced by the Missionary Society of St. Columban. They are a Society of priests and lay people who live and share the good news of the Gospel by working with those who are poor and exploited, including the earth.
Over the course of six episodes, we’ll explore the beauty of biodiversity and the threats it faces. We’ll travel around the world to hear from Columbans who are working to renew the face of the Earth. Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, we hope that this podcast will help us all to see how caring for our common home is fundamental to our lives as people of faith and as global citizens.
10 Prayer Poems on Creation
EarthBeat is featuring a special video series on its Instagram page from Desiré Findlay, who has written 10 “Prayer Poems on Creation.” You can follow along by following @EarthBeatNCR on Instagram.
Earthbeat Daily Reflections for Season of Creation
If you would like to receive daily reflections during the Season of Creation, subscribe to Earthbeat’s e-mail list: seasonofcreationdaily.org
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 or Darlene Maurer, dmaurer@themadeleine.edu.
- 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.