Archdiocese Creation Care Team
Mission
We encourage and empower the people of our Archdiocese to express love for God and one another and respect for all life by exercising good stewardship and care for God’s creation as an essential practice of our faith.
Goals
Inspired by Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home, the Archdiocese of Louisville Creation Care Team aligns its goals with those of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. We invite voluntary participation by individuals, families, parishes, schools, universities, youth groups and other organizations within the Archdiocese to integrate ecology as we work toward these goals:
by providing resources and opportunities to take direct actions that demonstrate care for creation. We will offer best practices drawn from parishes and dioceses across the country demonstrating how all can contribute to preserving our common home for future generations of all life, human and nonhuman.
by raising awareness that poor and marginalized groups experience the most severe impacts of climate change and pollution. We will provide opportunities to address the causes and effects of these impacts through advocacy and action.
by identifying and promoting sustainable choices for energy, food, reusable materials, transportation and clothing.
by offering opportunities for prayer, retreats, and faith formation highlighting the urgency in caring for our common home and all of creation.
by providing educational resources for teachers and students to support creation care initiatives. We will also offer support for Laudato Si study groups and the formation of parish Creation Care groups.
by evaluating and advocating for practices that are environmentally and economically beneficial.
by encouraging involvement in local programs, and advocating for action to address environmental injustice and environmental racism.
Some of our work:
Season of Creation – (September 1 – October 4). Poster Contest. We invited students in grades K-8 to create posters promoting care for God’s creation. Our 2024 poster theme, “All creatures are connected”
Green Mass – This a yearly Mass honoring all who work in environmental sustainability and those who love and care for the earth. Record article on Oct. 2 Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church
Recording of Creation Care Network meeting (2/19/2025)
Laudato Si’ 10th Anniversary of the English publication of Laudato Si’. June 17 and 18, 2025 featuring Dan Misleh, founder of the Catholic Climate Covenant. Presentation in Louisville and Bardstown area. Details to be announced.
Useful Links
- Link to the complete Laudato Si’ Document
- Link to the complete text of Laudate Deum
- Laudato Si’ Action Platform – An initiative of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
- Catholic Climate Covenant – Working with the U.S. Catholic Community
- The Letter, a film which tells the story of a journey to Rome of frontline leaders to discuss the encyclical letter Laudato Si’ with Pope Francis.
- His Holiness Pope Francis: Our moral imperative to act on climate change — and 3 steps we can take | TED Talk
- Short videos: Prayer for Creation (Laudato Si’ Movement); Together We Belong (Caritas International)
Questions? More information? Please contact us at
CreationCare@archlou.org
