By Christina Bagaglio Slentz, Ph.D.
Bishop Michael Pham led our annual liturgical celebration of the Season of Creation , using Pope Leo XIV’s new Mass for the Care of Creation.
The Sept. 5 liturgy was generously hosted by St. Francis of Assisi in Vista, recognized this year with both a parish and school Laudato Si’ Action Award. A total of seven parishes and eight schools were recognized for taking action this past year, such as enrolling on the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform, starting gardens, and implementing sustainable infrastructure features.
The Mass also highlighted Bishop Pham’s “Common Home, Common Ground” Initiative, which encourages us to renew our relationship with our sister, Mother Earth, by gardening and farming our Catholic land in an effort to sow beauty and feed our community. Attendees brought produce from parish, school and household gardens, which was taken to St. Mark Parish’s food bank. The initiative’s committee was also recognized with a Laudato Si’ Award.
Lifetime Achievement
This year, we also recognized the original founders of our San Diego diocesan Creation Care Ministry. Led by Father Emmet Farrell, this team of experts launched in 2018, animating creation care teams at parishes and schools, opening our hearts to ecological conversion and our ears to the entangled cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. They achieved what no other diocese had, the establishment of a formal ministry in the Office for Life, Peace and Justice. Today, our diocese is known worldwide for their accomplishment. Well done, good and faithful servants!
To learn more about enrolling in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, go to www.laudatosiactionplatform.org or contact Christina Slentz at cslentz@sdcatholic.org. Reach out to her if you are interested in participating in the “Common Home, Common Ground” Initiative, as well. The team is here to help.
