encyclical letter on the environment Archives

Action plan offers Catholics down-to-earth ideas to implement encyclical

CONYERS, Ga. (CNS) — Mimi Soileau goes nearly weekly to see what vegetables are ripe to be plucked from garden beds beside her parish church, St. Pius X. Time spent with her hands in the dirt is nothing new for this 85-year-old master gardener. She’s currently harvesting hearty kale, eggplant and broccoli from the raised…

Sartell family tackles urban challenges of caring for creation

By Kristi Anderson The Visitor Matt and Carolyn Bertsch, members of St. Francis Xavier Parish, moved to Sartell in 2001. Shortly after, they planted a small orchard. They researched which fruit trees would do well in their climate zone, which ones could act as possible pollinators and then started planting. They now have pears, apples,…

Bishop Donald Kettler — Faith, Hope and Love

Making a commitment to be better stewards of God’s creation We are blessed here in Minnesota with bountiful natural resources — lakes, rivers, forests and farmland that God has given to us and asks us to take care of. In his new encyclical, “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis reminds us that we are to be good…

Papal pull-out quotes from encyclical letter, Laudato Si’

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The following are selected quotes from Pope Francis’ encyclical letter, “Laudato Si’, on the Care of Our Common Home”: —The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth. (n. 21) — Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God…

All creation sings God’s praise, but people are silencing it, pope says

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.” All who believe in God and all people of good will have…

Caritas panel reflects on liberation theology, love, charity, ecology

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Dominican Father Gustavo Gutierrez, the 86-year-old liberation theologian, said his work is “a love letter to God, to the church and to my people.” Asked if he would change anything he has written in the past 40 years, the Peruvian who is often referred to as “the father of liberation theology,”…