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Preparing for the 2025 Season of Creation – “Seeds of Peace and Hope” August 26th, 2025
(By Maurice Lange, Justice & Peace Director at Presentation Sisters & founder of the Oblate Ecological Initiative)
Happy late Summer! As we approach the end of August, the annual Season of Creation is nearly here.
So that we may grow in our care for God’s Creation, we join with other Christians and people of goodwill in observing the Season of Creation which begins September 1 and runs through October 4. Pope Leo has written a letter regarding this Season and for the World Day of Prayer for Creation on September 1.
I have pondered Leo’s letter for 2025. The theme for this year (chosen by Pope Francis) is “Seeds of Peace and Hope.” I see that Pope Leo’s prophetic words can be divided into nine areas for reflection. Therefore, I’ve composed a series of 9 NEW Reflections for this Season of Creation.
This first Reflection serves to prepare us for this Season, and is meant for these upcoming days August 25-31
“Hope would have us recognize that…we can always redirect our steps.” (Laudato Si #61)
READ: 1st part of Pope Leo’s letter for the 2025 Season of Creation
REFLECTION: “…the promise of new beginnings…”. In this, the first letter from Pope Leo for a Season of Creation, he invites us to ponder the unexpected. In examining the theme for this year as chosen by Pope Francis, I’m struck by various parts of the phrase “Seeds of Peace and Hope”. Throughout the next several weeks we’ll be examining this theme along with each segment of Pope Leo’s letter.
Leo is probably still pondering the unexpected himself as he has come to know this in his life quite well! During this Season of Creation: what unexpected seeds of peace and hope may be germinating in unlikely places around us?
ACTION: The Season of Creation begins September 1 and continues through October 4. Procure and keep a Season of Creation journal. You may wish to journal about the implications of sowing and caring for seeds of peace and hope. Notice blue “bachelor button” flowers blooming along roadsides this month!
“(Ecological) education plants seeds when we are young, and these continue to bear fruit throughout life.” (LS #213)
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Visit the Presentation Sisters, US Province’s WEBSITE
READ MORE OF MAURICE’S WEEKLY REFLECTIONS
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COMING SOON – Week 2: 2025 Season of Creation Reflection
Extending Our Deepest Gratitude, Hugs & Prayers to Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND July 31st, 2025
We congratulate Sr. Maxine on her retirement after 20+ years shepherding the Oblate La Vista Ecological Ministry in Godfrey, Illinois.
IN HER OWN WORDS:
As some of you may already know, I am transitioning from this ministry at La Vista Ecological Learning Center into the future, I want to paraphrase my favorite John Burroughs’ quote. I begin with his words:
“If I had my life to live over again and I had my choice of celestial bodies, I am sure I should take this planet, and I should choose these men and women for my friends and companions. This great rolling sphere with its sky, its stars, its sunrises and sunsets, and with its outlook into infinity – what could be more desirable? What more satisfying?…one might ransack the heavens in vain for a better or more picturesque abode”.
And now, my version:
“If I had my life to live over again, and I had my choice of ecological ministries, I am sure I should pick La Vista Ecological Learning Center, and I should choose these many faithful volunteers, passionate participants, and responsive eNews readers for my friends and companions. The novitiate land with its vista from the bluffs, with its Nature Preserve and Pollinator Garden; this office with its memories of innumerable discussion groups, programs and meetings, where is there a more desirable place? The opportunity to work with the JPIC Office Team led by Fr Séamus Finn, OMI to teach and learn with OMI novices from around the world, and to connect with so many Oblate priests and brothers, what could be more enriching and satisfying? Marking each season for twenty years with equinox and solstice celebrations, what could be more grounding and enjoyable? I might ransack our rare and precious planet in vain for a better ministry and more wonderful colleagues.”
With an abundance of gratitude,
Sister Maxine Pohlman, SSND
In Action: OMI Come & See Program, Bangladesh June 24th, 2025
In the Spirit of the Laudato Si, Fr. Valentine Talang, OMI, Fr. Pius Pohdueng, OMI and 14 young men who have expressed an initial desire to become Oblates and are following the OMI Come & See Program 2025, planted trees on OMI property at London Punjee (village), Lokhipur, Bangladesh.
Fr. Valentine was appointed moderator of the week’s Come & See Program.
Through this program the OMI Bangladesh Delegation recruits college and university students to become Oblates.
Students from Zambia Explore “What Is Happening to Our Common Home” June 17th, 2025
(Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director La Vista Ecological Learning Center)
Fr David P Chisha, OMI, a novice at Immaculate Heart of Mary Novitiate in 2018, remembered learning about the impact of plastic pollution on people and planet during that year. Now a priest at Sancta Maria Mission in Zambia, he decided to invite me to share this information with parish youth; so, on May 12th we met via Zoom to discuss what is happening to our common home around the issue of plastic pollution.Fr Chisha chose this as our topic because in Lukulu, Zambia it is common practice to throw plastic bags and bottles on the ground since waste management is not in the picture yet. We discussed the impact of this common practice, and when I mentioned that globally an enormous amount of plastic ends up in rivers and ultimately in the ocean where it breaks down into microplastics and is eaten by fish which are then eaten by humans, the young people resonated. Lukulu is located on the Zambezi River which flows into the Indian Ocean, and fish are an important part of their diet.
When we considered what they could do about plastic pollution, they recalled Fr Chisha encouraging them to take a basket to market as people used to do instead of accepting a plastic bag. Raphel, one of the 
participants, decided it was worth looking “old-fashioned”; in addition, if someone comments, he plans on sharing the reason for his behavior! Alice, also a participant, intends to bring this issue to school to see if she can make a difference there. And Fr Chisha has already begun his efforts by creating “The Voice of the Future”, a podcast on environmental issues with parish youth as guests!
participants, decided it was worth looking “old-fashioned”; in addition, if someone comments, he plans on sharing the reason for his behavior! Alice, also a participant, intends to bring this issue to school to see if she can make a difference there. And Fr Chisha has already begun his efforts by creating “The Voice of the Future”, a podcast on environmental issues with parish youth as guests!(Click on the link to watch their first podcast about plastic: https://www.facebook.com/sanctamaria.mission/videos/451320151375694)
In Laudato Si, Pope Francis asked, “What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” It was heartening to be with the youth he was concerned about, and it was also encouraging to be with youth and their priest who passionately care for our common home in the spirit of Pope Francis.
(Image 1 L to R: Raphael, Julian, Alice, Father David Chisha, OMI via Zoom)
(Image 2 Photo by Kabwe Kabwe: Pexels)
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/
