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2026 Season of Creation: Immersed in Living Water September 11th, 2026
(By Maurice Lange, Justice & Peace Director at Presentation Sisters & founder of the Oblate Ecological Initiative)
These reflections are inspired by Pope Leo’s 2026 letter for the Season of Creation. Each ponders 1 of 9 topics in Leo’s writing, with focus given to the 2026 theme of “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
“The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life.” (Laudato Si #2)
READ: 4th part of Pope Leo’s letter for the 2026 Season of Creation (view PDF)
REFLECTION: How is your heart this Season of Creation? : Similar to the season of Lent, our observance of the Season of Creation has the ability to center us. Our special focusing these 34 days brings us to the heart. “…the human heart…the center of the person – the place where reason, desire, will and conscience converge.” Pope Leo points our attention to the condition of the human heart being linked to Earth’s degradation and war’s wounds. Such outward torment belies interior discord, division and distortion.
* What integral ecology project, initiative or ministry inspires & challenges you?
* Where might you be feeling divided, distorted?
* What are you attending to?
ACTION: What if our culture spent some percentage of its time on healing of the heart as it does on social media?! It is this healing or “conversion of heart” that Leo calls for. To assist us in this conversion, I encourage you to make time for prayer in this regard: sit peacefully with this recent, deeply meaningful Hiroshima/ Nagasaki prayer service – co-sponsored by our Presentation Sisters.
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Visit the Presentation Sisters, US Province’s WEBSITE
READ MORE OF MAURICE’S WEEKLY REFLECTIONS
- Week 1: 2025 Season of Creation Reflection
- Week 2: 2025 Season of Creation Reflection
- Week 3: 2025 Season of Creation Reflection
- Week 4 2025 Season of Creation Reflection
Preparing for the 2026 Season of Creation August 24th, 2026
From September 1st through October 4th, people of faith around the world come together in prayer and action for our common home.
Inspired by Ezekiel 47:1–12, this year’s theme invites us to “step into the waters”—renewing our relationship with God, one another, and creation.
FIND 2026 Season of Creation Resources: https://bit.ly/4hS4jfo
Happy Earth Day 2026: Our Power, Our Planet April 22nd, 2026
Earth Day, annually celebrated on April 22, is the largest secular observance in the world. It was first observed in 1970.
- 2026 Theme – Our Power, Our Planet: This theme emphasizes the power of communities, innovators, and individuals to drive climate action and adopt sustainable practices.
Celebrated worldwide, events include community cleanups, educational workshops, tree plantings, and town halls, highlighting that local action drives global change.
May – Heartfelt Reflections from OMI Novices, Reflection 4 by Br. Alfred Lungu May 19th, 2025
Introduced by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center
This Novitiate year we have been immersed in Pope Francis’ words as they come to us in his encyclical Laudato Si. As we ended our time together here at Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate in April, the Novices offered to share their thoughts about ecological conversion as described in Laudato Si. May their words honor the memory of Pope Francis.
A Personal Reflection by Br. Alfred Lungu
Finding our purpose can be hard today. Have we taken time to wonder about our role in the world and how we relate to people, nature, and animals? Why are humans so important on this planet? We need to think about this. Because some of our brothers and sisters have left this beautiful planet without resolving these problems.(Image by Tung Lam from Pixabay)
- READ E News and Eco-spirituality Calendar NEWSLETTER: https://bit.ly/4iVI0m3
- Visit La Vista Ecological Learning Center‘s Website: https://www.lavistaelc.org/
2024 Season of Creation: Join the Global Movement to Nurture Our Planet August 30th, 2024
The firstfruits of hope (Romans 8:19-25)
The Season of Creation is an annual celebration of prayer and action for our common home, celebrated by Christians everywhere from September 1 to October 4. This year’s theme is “To hope and act with Creation.”
Oblate Scholastic Musonda Choto, OMI and Fr. Jack Lau, OMI prepare Sacred Heart Church, Oakland, CA for the Season as shown in these are photos.
