ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
October 4 is the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, who I believe to be, the best-known saint in our secularized society. He was born sometime in 1181 or 1182, died 1226, and then was canonized quickly in 1228…
Category Creation
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION
Ten years ago today, Pope Francis established the first World Day of Prayer for the Care for Creation. It coincided with the publication of his great encyclical Laudato Si.’ September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care for…
ALL CREATION CRIES OUT
We pray that each one of us will hear and take to heart the cry of the Earth and of the victims of natural disasters and climactic change, and that all will undertake to personally care for the world in…
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
St. Francis of Assisi is one of my favorite saints. The example of his very simple, humble and generous life leads us straight back to what is essential in the Gospel: to trust in God’s providence, praise him for his…
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION
In 2015, Pope Francis announced that the Roman Catholic Church would join with the Orthodox Churches in recognizing September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Since that time, there has been broad ecumenical observance…
EARTH DAY
Last week, the city of Ottawa was ravaged by another ice storm. The huge pine tree in my backyard lost many heavy limbs and the yard was full of the pine needles, twigs and branches. We are lucky that the…
AN OPEN LETTER FROM ST. NICHOLAS
Dear Adults, Kids love me because I love them first. Ever since I was a kid myself, I’ve done what I could for the vulnerable – all those folks who can’t stand tall enough to reach the table and help…
WORLD FOOD DAY
Life is surface material skin deep a shallow wave of earth stuck rolling in across vast shores of clay and sand and rock that, dry and of themselves, simply cannot glisten green. ** Two to eight inches of language laid…
BLESSED FEAST DAY OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, THE EARLIEST OF ENVIRONMENTALISTS
I am proud of myself that I ate one tomato from my garden this year. One tomato! I placed my statue of St. Francis in the garden and my tomato plant flourished. Still, I was only able to harvest a…
A HARD PRAYER FOR CARE
Today we observe World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Let us ponder the awe and beauty of the created world, the healing that nature brings to our lives, and our responsibility of being better stewards of the…