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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

Green leaves among tree branches

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?

DOWNLOAD  FULL REFLECTION

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)

  • Visit the Presentation Sisters, US Province’s WEBSITE

READ MORE OF MAURICE’S WEEKLY REFLECTIONS

  • COMING SOON – Week 2: 2025 Season of Creation Reflection



Reflection on January’s Ecological Conversion Field Trip with OMI Novices February 10th, 2025

5 young men standing on snow and in a semi circle 5 young men and female tour guide with lime green laptops

We visited a most unusual building to learn about about another aspect of ecological conversion; from throwaway construction to a life-sustaining built environment. The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center in East Alton, Illinois is LEED Gold certified, so it has demonstrated commitment to sustainable practices; for example, all the materials to build it were sourced within 500 miles and recycled materials were used throughout the construction including 100% recycled material in the rubber floor tiles, in the glass countertops, insulation made from recycled newspaper and paper, and 90% of construction-related waste was recycled.

Our tour guide Erica proved to be a marvelous educator, not only teaching about the building, but also helping us to understand the research and conservation outreach mission of the Center. In the picture above, Erica explained a project she created: kits for classrooms that contain tools and activities to teach youth about our living landscape. So, we learned about yet another aspect of ecological conversion: from treating landscape as static scenery to engaging with it as it changes and supports a range of wildlife, where plants and animals interact, functioning as a thriving ecosystem.

We continued our education on the green roof which grows native plants familiar to us on the bluff top at the Novitiate. In the photo Erica is explaining the roof’s construction which is made up of many layers and is handicap accessible! With its green roof, native landscaping and limestone walls, the building complements the surrounding environment, minimizing visual intrusion on the landscape.

In Laudato Si, Pope Francis encouraged “the construction and repair of buildings aimed at reducing their energy consumption and levels of pollution.” We were impressed with this example of green building as it shows one way to a sustainable future.


Reflection on December’s Ecological Conversion Field Trip with OMI Novices January 14th, 2025

Contributed by Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director of Oblate Ecological Initiative


We visited Treehouse Wildlife Center mid-December to experience a community dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured wildlife. TreeHouse exemplifies the spirit of Laudato Si which calls us to shift from the exploitation of other species to treating them as beings “with intrinsic value, apart from their usefulness to us”. Anyone can bring an injured animal to this center, and it will be treated as “brother or sister” in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.
 
In the photo ABOVE, Zuni the Coyote is on the far left, followed by Novices Edwin Silwimba, Eliakim Mbenda, Mike Katona, tour guide Marcie Nagle, and Novice Alfred Lungu.
 
Zuni was admitted as an orphan in 2011, already human socialized, so she could not be released back into the wild. Donors make it possible for her and other animals to be cared for until their natural death.
While visiting this enclosure, Marcie invited the novices to howl like a coyote, and when they did, all the coyotes joined in, necks extended, howling and yipping enthusiastically. We were thrilled.
 
Our trip also included a discussion of ways to protect non-human animals in our daily lives, such as creating plant and wildlife-friendly habitats in our own backyards; avoiding use of chemicals which can harm wildlife; picking up trash so animals don’t eat it; learning about endangered species in our own countries; eating a plant-based diet; and of course, treating animals as brothers and sisters, not objects.
 
We ended our visit with gratitude for the wisdom of Laudato Si as well as for our experience of ecological conversion.

Introducing a Champion Tree at the Missionary Oblates Novitiate November 26th, 2024

In September there was buzz around a special champion tree recently discovered on the property at the Missionary Oblates Novitiate.
 
The Basswood tree was recently nominated as one of Illinois’ largest native trees.
 
In this video, Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director of La Vista Ecological Learning Center introduces us to the tree and explains the selection process.  
 


La Vista Hosts Autumnal Equinox Event October 2nd, 2024

At La Vista Ecological Learning Center’s September 21 Autumnal Equinox event, there was buzz around a special champion tree recently discovered on the property at the Missionary Oblates Novitiate.
 
The Basswood tree was recently nominated as one of Illinois’ largest native trees.
 
Guests at the event celebrated this majestic Basswood and enjoyed food, poetry, art and music to honor this and other members of our earth community. 
 
 
Visit the National Register of Champion Trees to find one in your area: https://www.americanforests.org/…/champion-trees-registry/
 
 
 
 
 
 

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