May the Earth be respected and cared for by all peoples; may we turn from our wasteful ways. We pray to you Lord.
For children who are born today, may our time on earth be remembered for a renewed reverence for life, a resolve to achieve environmental sustainability, and a commitment to social justice, we pray to the Lord.
May seasonal rains nourish our fields and refresh our Earth. We pray to you Lord.
For teachers and school administrators, may we integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values and skills needed for a sustainable way of life, we pray to the Lord.
For leaders of nations, may we secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations, we pray to the Lord.
For us and our neighbors, may we protect and restore the integrity of Earth's ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life, we pray to the Lord.
May farmers and agricultural workers have what they need to produce abundant crops. We pray to you Lord.
SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT: Deepening the connection between faith & ecology, creation & climate
April 22nd is Earth Day! So what?
Are you surprised to learn that Church leaders have taken a strong stance on climate change? Because climate change is caused by human activity and urgently needs to be addressed, Pope Francis has taken significant steps to reduce the Vatican's carbon footprint and to stress climate change's disproportionate impact on the poor. It makes a lot of sense when we consider:
· The Church teaches that human life is sacred. Human life is impossible without access to clean water and air, healthy land upon which to raise food, and an environment free of harmful chemicals and toxins.
· The Church teaches us to give preference to the poor. The poor around the world bear most of the pain of climate change. They are most affected by natural disasters, lack of access to water, rising food prices, pollution, and other aspects of environmental degradation.
· The Church urges us to be less materialistic. The earth's suffering is caused in large part by humans who value "stuff" more than life; who want the convenience of a "throw away" culture; who see no need to pay a little more for products that are created in sustainable and ethical ways and do not travel thousands of miles to reach us. Today, we take for granted things that our great-grandparents would have seen as incredible luxuries.
So what? If you value clean air and water, what action will you take to ensure that it's available for all? If you do not want a coal-fired power plant or a landfill next door to your home, what action will you take to ensure that they are not built next to others' homes? If you don't want your child suffering neurological damage from exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals, what action will you take to ensure that other people's children don't have to suffer those effects?
What will YOU do – today, tomorrow, and every day thereafter – to live your values?
To learn more about the Church's environmental teachings and how to reduce your carbon footprint, visit: CatholicClimateCovenant.org.
Energy Efficiency at St. Francis Parish
Are you interested in Energy Star standards?
Would you like to volunteer to input data for St. Francis Parish? You need not be an architect or engineer. St. Fr ancis Parish is utilizing Portfolio Manager for "benchmarking" our energy records.
With your help St. Francis Parish could enter next year's competition of the Michigan Battle of the Buildings. Contact: Scott Wright 734-821-2121 swright@stfrancisa2.org …
