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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
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.It’s not too late to change how we see things. We can build a world that helps all life. What we do affects the Earth and other creatures. Nature and its animals are part of our world too. It’s wrong to treat them like they’re just for us to use (essential commodities). In fact, Pope Francis, calls them “Our brothers and sisters.” It’s upsetting to see how we ignore other species to get rich. If money drives these actions, we need to rethink things.
We all have a job to protect the Earth. It’s not ours forever; future generations will get it. So, we must make a safe and good place for them. If we don’t care for our planet, the damage can’t be fixed.
Everything in creation matters—nature, animals, and people. We must respect all life. Money is important, but we shouldn’t treat other living things like objects to be used and trashed. We need to think about why we’re here and make sure our actions protect the Earth.
(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/
May – Heartfelt Reflections from OMI Novices, Reflection 2 May 8th, 2025
Introduced by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center
La Vista joins all those on our planet who are feeling the great loss of Pope Francis who heard the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor and acted on what he heard in a most remarkable way.
This Novitiate year we have been immersed in his 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.
Ecological Encounter by Br. Michael Katona
I grew up in Colorado, and unsurprisingly I’m a fan of hiking and find spending time in nature to be enjoyable, comforting, and fulfilling. Exploring the woods on our property, I’ve often found empty drink cans, coffee cups, and fast-food boxes signs of people treating Earth as nothing more than a place to enjoy, wreck, then expect someone else to take care of. I’ve also seen evidence of people treating Creation as something valuable, as something to be preserved and cared for. In addition to the folks who root out invasive honeysuckle, remove trash or help facilitate controlled burns, I am particularly moved and impressed by the person (or people) who placed thumb tacks as trail markers to help others find their way to the Cross overlooking the bluffs. I can’t help but think they had a special connection to this trail and wanted to share it with others.
In his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si , Pope Francis uses the phrase “ecological conversion,” which has served as the basis of our monthly classes with Sr. Maxine Pohlman. He describes part of this conversion as allowing the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ to become evident in our relationship with the world around us (#217). To me, it seems rather straightforward: if we want real “ecological conversion,” we need real “ecological encounter.” I question if the folks who leave their garbage in the woods have had a meaningful encounter with Creation – a time we become aware of just how precious and comforting and magnificent Earth really is, and how at-home we are when we’re close to her. I’m thankful for these ecological encounters in my life, and I’d be willing to bet most folks who subscribe to this newsletter are, too.
We’ve received a piece of the Good News through these encounters, and I’d pose to you the same question I ask myself:
How can we, just like the person putting up those trail markers, help others find their way to their own meaningful encounter with Earth?
(Stay tuned for Reflection 3 by Br Eliakim Mbenda)
New Resource! Practical Ways We Can Help Pollinators August 14th, 2023
Actions to Support Local Pollinator Biodiversity
BACKGROUND
At the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in 2022, countries agreed to return 30% of land and 30% of the oceans to nature. Seizing this momentum, in June 2023, Irish Bishops called for conservation of nearly a third of church property to become havens for pollinators and biodiversity.
The bishops’ initiative responds to:
- Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si, on Care for Our Common Home,”
- the impending loss of biodiversity
- and agreements made at COP15 in December 2022.
Integrity of Creation as an integral part of evangelization was re-affirmed at the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate’s 37th General Chapter in September 2022.
The OMI Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation has adapted some ideas from the Irish Bishops’ resource Faith Communities Actions to Help Pollinators and complied them as possible actions for people to take.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT
2023 Creation Care Calendars for Lent February 22nd, 2023
We invite you to join us this Lent to take actions to help preserve God’s great gift of Creation.
Our friends at Interfaith Power & Light, in partnership Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake and EcoLatinos, have produced downloadable calendars that can be adapted for your community & with different actions you can take during Lent.
Invite your communities to distribute them as bulletin inserts during worship on an upcoming Sunday. Each year, these calendars go up on refrigerators and bulletin boards across communities, and open many conversations about environmental stewardship and climate action.
SAMPLE ACTION
“Christians have fasted from meat during Lent for generations. Try eating vegetarian today and check out Oxfam’s Eat for Good resource online for other ways to use your fast to bless others”: bit.ly/eat4good
Visit their website to download the calendars:
ipldmv.org/lent
“May this season serve as a reminder of our interdependence and our call to care for our common home.”
