Season of Creation
WHAT IS THE SEASON OF CREATION?
The Season of Creation begins on September 1 and ends on October 4. It was added to the Catholic calendar by Pope Francis in 2015 as a natural way to collaborate with the global ecumenical community on this critical matter and to implement the faith vision, analysis, and mission laid out in his encyclical, Laudato Si’.
Join us on September 12 for a Franciscan Via Creationis, a seven-station prayerful journey through our beautiful grounds, reflecting on Scripture, the beauty of nature, and the Mystery of Creation. The afternoon begins and ends at Our Lady of Angels Chapel, with an invitation to stay for 4 P.M. Mass and refreshments. Click to learn more.
REFLECTION
This year’s theme is drawn from Ezekiel 47:9,12, where the prophet sees a river flowing from God’s Temple — starting as a trickle but growing until it heals the stagnant Dead Sea and makes trees bear fruit year-round. Born out of the trauma of exile and the Temple’s destruction, the vision shows that God’s presence brings not judgment but renewal, extending healing to all of creation.
The symbol, Immersion in Living Water, depicts this same deepening river and invites us to step into it — echoing baptism — until we must rely fully on God’s grace. It carries a double meaning: God’s healing flows to us, and once renewed, we are called to let that living water flow through us, becoming sources of restoration for a world facing water crisis, pollution, and ecological loss.
MAKE A SEASON OF CREATION PRAYER SPACE
- Decorate your space with a brown or sand colored cloth with a blue colored cloth on top like a river. Add a few green plants or a candle.
- Print out the Season of Creation prayer and put it in your prayer space.
TAKE ACTION
- Advocating for water justice: This year’s Season of Creation lifts up “Water is Life,” inspired by Ezekiel’s vision of waters flowing from God’s sanctuary to bring healing and abundance to all. Raise local water issues — unsafe drinking water, unaffordable tariffs, pollution — with your parish, and consider a simple petition or letter to your water provider or local government.
- Exploring connections: Discuss how water scarcity and pollution connect to conflict and inequality, and how restoring watersheds connects to justice and peace — locally and globally.
- Restoring our waters: Organize a church-led clean-up of a local river, wetland, or coastline — consider timing it with International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19.
- Participate in a Via Creationis: Join us at OLA on Saturday, September 12 at 2 P.M., or hold your own using the Via Creationis created by Laudato Si’ Movement.
- Digital advocacy: Share stories of water-scarce communities and spotlight a local polluted waterway on social media or in the bulletin, and invite others to sign a water justice petition.
