In 1989 the Ecumenical Patriarch (a title given to the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Churches) proclaimed September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Environment. The new observance did not cause much of a stir. It sounded like a niche festival for tree huggers and science nerds, not something of concern for mainstream believers. Yes, concern for the environment had been an issue for over a century and was given a big boost with the first Earth Day in 1970. Yet much of this early activism had been about cleaning up after ourselves, and not polluting our air and our water. In fact, the air and water got cleaner, thanks to new government regulations and the outcry of the people We need look no further than the Chicago River, where there is fishing and recreational boating, something that would have been unimaginable seventy years ago. Outside of a few prophetic voices, though, we were not aware that how we were living could cause irreparable harm to our environment, that we might be making our common home uninhabitable.

Attitudes started to change as the effects of climate change became more obvious. Not only were temperatures rising, but the melting of the ice caps was causing sea levels to rise. Some islands and low-lying areas were disappearing.  Warmer ocean temperatures were leading to more violent storms and hurricanes.  While a minority of scientist believe that our steadily rising temperatures are just part of a cycle (Decades ago there was concern that the earth was facing another ice age), the majority of experts believe that human beings play a significant role in climate change, especially through the greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels.  As the years went by, more Christian denominations began to take note of the September 1 observance.

A turning point within the Catholic Church occurred in 2015, when Pope Francis issued his encyclical Laudato Si, in which he made concern for the environment an integral part of Catholic moral teaching. He pointed out that it is the poor who suffer the most from climate change. A year later in 2016, Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew jointly proclaimed “A Season of Creation,” beginning on September 1 and ending on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis. Pope Francis expressed the hope that by observing this Season of Creation, we would move toward “an ecological conversion.” Each year the Season of Creation has a different theme. According to the Vatican press release, “This year the symbol that will guide the season is ‘the first fruits of hope,’ inspired by Romans8:19-25. The times we live in demonstrate that we do not relate to the Earth as a gift from our Creator, but as a resource to be used. ‘Creation groans’ (Romans 8:22) because of our selfishness and our unsustainable actions that harm it. However, Creation teaches us that hope is present in waiting, in the expectation of a better future.”

This past August, thirteen religious leaders in Chicago (including Cardinal Cupich), acting as Chicagoland Christians United for the Care of Creation, signed a document that was formally installed at Holy Name Cathedral at an ecumenical service on May 18. This document says in part, “To love God, we must honor all that God has created. To love our neighbor requires us as Christians to preserve and protect all that sustains life. The earth, its air, land, and water and everything derived from such, are precious gifts that sustain us all. All of these elements must be cared for, protected, and preserve, here and now for the common good and for future generations. Because we are made in the image of God and because God loves and cares for creation, we must also care for our common home. To do otherwise is sin. Our common home is now suffering because of human induced climate change and our wanton exploitation of God’s precious gift of creation. Taking decisive restorative actions is a moral and religious imperative.”

So, as we begin this Season of Creation today, it is important to take a look at our lifestyle and consider ways that we could live more responsibly. A whole series of practical suggestions can be found under Laudato Si’ and Me on our homepage (assumption-chgo.org). As we approach to fall election and consider which candidates reflect Catholic values, we should not overlook the messaging (or lack thereof) regarding climate change. As part of Assumption’s observance of the Season of Creation, Fr. John Pawlikowski, a member of our Servite Community and Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics at Catholic Theological Union, will preach on the Care of Creation at the 5:00pm Mass on Sunday September 15. Fr. Pawlikowski has served on the Vatican’s Ecology Task Force and U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Energy Statement, and currently serves on the Parliament of the World Religions Climate Action Task Force.

                                 Fr. Joe