Faithful invited to ‘awaken to the sacredness of the earth’ at workshop

In line with the Holy Father’s exhortation that mankind must better care for the God-given gifts nature provides, one Bridgewater community of faith is doing their part to lead the way to green.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish welcomed participants to an evening of eco-spirituality Oct. 4 entitled “Awaken to the Sacredness of the Earth.” Elizabeth Dransfield, a member of the parish’s “green team,” led a program of Scripture reading, reflection, Night Prayer and a keynote presentation by Msgr. Joseph J. Kerrigan, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Bound Brook.

The modern faith-based attention to care for the planet dates back to 1989, when Orthodox Patriarch Demetrios I of Constantinople proclaimed Sept. 1 as a day of prayer for creation. The World Council of Churches extended the celebration to encompass a Season of Creation, from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4, the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology and a role model for Christians of many denominations.

In 2015, Pope Francis officially welcomed the Catholic Church’s participation in the Season of Creation. That same year the Holy Father issued his encyclical Laudato Si, (Praise be to you, my Lord.) On Care For Our Common Home. This groundbreaking document focused on caring for the environment and the true relationship between God and all his creations, humans and the natural world.

St. Bernard Green Team member Doreen Sekora proclaimed a passage from the second chapter of the Book of Genesis. She described her daily walks with her dog along the Delaware Raritan Canal path and how much more in tune with and aware of the environment she became.

By noticing the daily and seasonal changes and the cycle of life and death presented in nature, she began to experience the natural world that has been there and has surrounded her for years with a deeper appreciation. Sekora then invited the members of the congregation to close their eyes and silently recall that one special place where each person could reflect upon the wonders of God and the beauty of their own creation.

Keynote speaker Msgr. Kerrigan observed that, though his family instilled in him a deep appreciation for nature, he believed his experiences living and working with Trappist Monks enhanced that appreciation. Additionally, his travels to many countries as the former diocesan director of Catholic Relief Services have given him the opportunity to experience God’s work in nature around the world.

Msgr. Kerrigan commented that it was an auspicious day for this service of celebration to examine our relationship with God’s creations for two reasons: the Holy Father’s Synod on Synodality had begun in Rome and the Vatican released an Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis entitled, Laudate Deum, “Praise God.”

In the new document, the Pope states that eight years after his encyclical he believes our responses have not been adequate in relation to our care for our common home. In Laudate Deum he asks “everyone to accompany this pilgrimage of reconciliation with the world that is our home and to help make it more beautiful.”

Msgr. Kerrigan pointed out the concept of creation is embedded in Catholic beliefs and is not new but an idea that we must bring to the front and center of our way of living. “In our liturgy and in the rhythm of daily and seasonal church life, our intimate relation with creation is embedded in [our] prayer,” he said.  “Sometimes we have to step back a bit and observe, for example, ‘Oh wow, I didn’t realize that Eucharistic Prayer III begins with, ‘You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and all you have created rightly gives you praise.’”

Being conscious of these connections and attuned to our interactions with nature in all its forms will allow us to be better inhabitants of our common home and accompany Pope Francis on that pilgrimage, Msgr. Kerrigan stressed, highlighting the value of action steps, which “open up for us when we include creation in our daily examination of conscience. For example, just by asking ourselves how much time we spend outside during the day, or if we had any interaction with non-humans, we might see some practical gaps that we can correct or improve.”

Going forward, Msgr. Kerrigan suggested, “As with many things, Jesus’ own prayer book, the Book of Psalms, is a great guide for integrating creation with prayer.”

For further information on the St. Bernard Green Team, contact Doreen Sekora at [email protected] or see stbernardbridgewater.org/green-team-1