-
-
What is the Creation Care Team?
Creation Care is an outreach program to care for God’s Creation for the benefit of all people. We are rooted in spirituality, following the guidance issued by Pope Francis in the encyclical Laudato Si. There are hundreds of Creation Care teams in Catholic communities throughout the US.
Creation is God’s wonderful gift to us. Jesus asks that we love God with our whole heart and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourself. When we harm creation we disrespect God’s gift; when we pollute we cause harm to our neighbors. The Creation Care Team helps us to understand these issues and possible solutions, starting first with a focus on our relationship with God, nature, and each other.
Mission
The mission of the St. Barbara Creation Care Team is to:
-
Inform and educate parishioners about how we can care for creation. This is done through prayer, learning, changing habits, and small projects.
-
Create a sustainable parish facility. This is done through energy saving efforts, sustainable landscaping, and the use of renewable resources.
-
-
-
-
Week 6
CREATION CARE TEAM - Change is good?
Chapter 6 - Ecological education and spirituality
Recently plastic bags were banned in Pittsburgh. This change may be less convenient for some but it supports the common good. In a similar way the changes we need require a conversion from individualism to a communal way of thinking.
In Laudato Si’ the Pope calls us to an Ecological Conversion, a change in heart of the Catholic Faithful and a more passionate concern for our common home. A new lifestyle is needed, with progress measured on how we live together, and less on how to make day to day life easier.ADDITIONAL INFO
The University of Colorado has some great information on how to discuss Sustainability / “climate change”. Check out their tips here: How to Talk About Sustainability
Catholic Climate Covenant advocates faith and action on climate issues. Visit their site for many resources for Catholics concerned about the environment:
Catholic Climate Covenant
Based on Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis. For more information please contact Dave Wasil at [email protected]
Best Summary of Laudato’ Si: Laudato Si’ Movement
Full text of Laudato Si: Laudato Si’
-
-
-
Full Series by David Wasil
-
-
-
Plan for Activities in 2024
Forming in late 2023, the St Barbara Creation Care team started with two initiatives:
-
Implementing recycling for the parish
-
Helping parishioners “Give a Gift to the Planet” during the Advent season.
In 2024 activities will follow three areas:
-
Parish life, including both the spiritual activities of our faith and the practical infrastructure by which we are able to provide and support a robust Catholic spiritual life
-
Home life, including our spiritual life at home, our interactions with family and friends and the way we manage our homes’ operations
-
Life in the world, including our engagements with the working world and society at large
How to Volunteer
The Creation Care Team is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in our parish and our world. In addition to monthly meetings to reflect on teachings about God’s creation and ecological conversion, we are considering the following projects:
-
Upgrading heating, cooling and lighting in our parish buildings to reduce our energy consumption and save money
-
Update our landscaping to be more sustainable and create environments in our parish campus that support our spiritual need. For example a reflection garden, playground, or walking trail.
If you would like to participate in our gatherings or help with one of our projects, please reach out to Dave Wasil at [email protected]
-
-
“Environmental problems cannot be separated from… how individuals relate to themselves.” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, 141)
-
