Book Sale

Now at reduced price of $10.00 plus postage if mailed or can be picked up.
Author: Sister Mary ELizabeth Clark, SSJ
Prayers and Poems
Photography by Sister Joellen Sbrissa, CSJ
Call 215-248-7289
mclark@ssjphila.org

Online course awakens beginners to unfolding universe story

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• In this image from the Hubble Space Telescope, a bluish nebula of glowing hydrogen expands out into the remains of a molecular cloud that collapsed to form massive stars. (CNS photo/NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team)

A set of online courses set to debut this week will offer students an introductory dive into cosmological thought and the epic story of the unfolding of the universe and life itself.
“Journey of the Universe: A Story for Our Times” is a course series created by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, both research scholars in Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and co-founders of its Forum on Religion and Ecology.
The three-class program explores the universe’s formation through a multidisciplinary lens, along with the evolutionary implications for humans and their ecological future. It builds off the worldview of Passionist Fr. Thomas Berry, with one of the classes dedicated to his life and insights.
Tucker and Grim, who will teach the courses, are both students of Berry. In Tucker's words, she and Grim, her husband, have “lived and breathed” elements of the “Journey” work for more than 30 years since they studied with Berry in graduate school.

Pope Francis adds New Work of Mercy to Original Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy

As Pope Francis adds Care for Creation as a Corporal and Spiritual Work of Mercy,

this explanation was published in the Catholic New York newspaper.

“ As a spiritual work of mercy, the pope said, care for

Creation requires “a grateful contemplation of God’s world.”

While as a corporal work, it calls for “simple daily gestures

which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and

selfishness.” The Year of Mercy, he added, offers Christians an opportunity to

experience not only an interior conversion but also an “ecological conversion,”

one that recognizes “our responsibility to ourselves, our neighbors, creation and the Creator.”

Here are the Corporal Works of Mercy

1.       Feed the hungry

2.       Shelter the homeless

3.       Clothe the naked

4.       Visit the sick and imprisoned

5.       Bury the dead

6.       Give alms to those who are poor

7.       Care for our common home

Here are the Spiritual Works of Mercy

1.       Instruct

2.       Advise

3.       Console

4.       Comfort

5.       Forgive

6.       Bear wrongs patiently

7.       Care for our common home

( translation from Loyola Press)

 On Care for Our Common Home Websites

Websites for resources related to Laudato Si and Creation Care

The Pastoral Center

http://www.thepastoralcenter.com/creation.html

The Catholic Climate Covenant

http://www.catholicclimatecovenant.org

 Catholic Climate Covenant helps Catholic people and institutions respond to the moral call for action on climate change. We open policy conversation, reduce carbon footprints, and share authentic Catholic teachings on climate change. covenant.org/

Global Catholic Climate Movement

almost 100 Catholic organizations to care for God’s creation, for the poor–who are the most vulnerable to climate disruption - See more at: http://catholicclimatemovement.global/#sthash.mx9px6x7.dpuf

http://catholicclimatemovement.global/

Catholic Rural Life

Catholic Rural Life (CRL) is a national, Catholic nonprofit organization dedicated to the vitality of the American countryside. Since 1923, we have been applying the teachings of Jesus Christ for the social, economic, and spiritual development of rural America, strengthening and sustaining the Church in the countryside by educating and inspiring leaders and advocating on their behalf.

https://catholicrurallife.org/

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Conservation Center

 http://www.kateri.org/

The Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Conservation Center is a Catholic faith-based conservation organization that promotes Catholic teaching on ecology and the environment, conserves nature, and protects life. Mission: Promote Catholic teaching on ecology & the environment, conserve nature, & protect life.

Our Vision: A faithful, loving home on Earth for people & all of God’s creatures.

ur Mission: Promote Catholic teaching on ecology & the environment, conserve nature, & protect life.

Our Vision: A faithful, loving home on Earth for people & all of God’s creatures.

Bulletin Board Ideas for Laudato Si, On Care for Our Common Home

Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment
What are some ways we as a school can care for our common home?
Write your ideas on this leaf and add it to our tree.
( Draw a tree and make leaves from colored paper.
Attach an envelope with the leaves in it and a pencil to create ideas.Post them on the bulletin board.

Meet Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis lived in Assisi Italy a long time ago!

He helped take care of our Earth and all the animals and people that lived here.

Meet Pope Francis!

Pope Francis is the leader of our whole Church!  He wants you to know that you can help take care of Our Common Home too!

You can help take care of Our Common Home by

recycling things like:

Cardboard, Newspaper, Plastic and Glass bottles and Cans.

From the Global Catholic Climate Movement

On Monday, the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE), Conference of European Churches (CEC) and European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN) issued a joint statement about the Time for Creation.

·         Today, the Patriarch Bartholomew issued his message for September 1.

·         And tomorrow, Pope Francis’ special message "Show Mercy to our Common Home" will be presented by Cardinal Turkson in the Vatican at 11.30am CEST. You can watch the press conference in this link.

We are very excited about facilitating the Season of Creation campaign together with the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical partners. You’ll see in the Season of Creation website that hundreds of prayer services will happen in all continents.

You should have also seen that we will also be hosting tomorrow an Online Ecumenical Prayer Service for the World Day of Prayer for Creation at 8am US EDT/ 2 pm CEST. More details can be found here: bit.ly/sept1prayer.

We hope your organization and networks join Pope Francis in this special occasion. Remember that the Pope Video (produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network) is an excellent asset to promote this celebration; you could share the Facebook link or the YouTube link.

This is an incredible moment in our Christian liturgical life: a time to praise our Creator and to deepen the bonds with all of creation, through prayer and action. Thank you for being a part of lifting this important time to our communities.

God bless,

Christina on behalf of the GCCM Team