Catholic ways to celebrate Earth Day

With the publication last fall of Laudate Deum, Pope Francis’ follow-up letter to 2015’s Laudato Si’, the message is clear: Catholics must do much more to care for God’s gift of Creation and to avoid complete, catastrophic collapse of our common home.

Although papal critics have sometimes dismissed his environmental concerns as “woke” liberal nonsense or a distraction from the “real” tenets of the faith, our Church has a profound history of listening to the earth (Job 12) and caring for her creatures. (Gen 2)

This Earth Day, April 22, celebrate the richness of our faith with four traditional Catholic practices for modern ecological problems. 

1. Go Meat-Free. Did you know that Adam and Eve are often thought to have been vegetarians before the Fall? (Gen 1:29) Abstention from meat on Fridays is one of the oldest traditions of the Church, and several monastic orders, including many Benedictine, Cistercian and Carmelite communities, practice vegetarianism year-round. Follow their example of simplicity and solidarity with the poor by reducing your consumption of meat and animal products; besides being an expensive luxury for much of the world’s population, they are also major contributors to deforestation and GHG emissions.
2. Plant a Mary Garden. Flower gardens dedicated to Mary have been cultivated since Medieval times, with dozens of different flower species holding symbolic value. Honour our heavenly mother with a botanical offering that will not only inspire prayer but also offer refuge for native birds and beneficial insects, including the ladybug, which is also named after Our Lady! Check the Saint Kateri Conservation Center for suggestions of native Mary-themed flowers, including the Western Columbine (Our Lady’s shoes), wild Nootka rose (Heart of Mary) and false lily of the valley (Our Lady’s tears).
3. Celebrate Rogation Day. Another ancient tradition, Rogation days replaced the Roman practice of Robigalia, which sought divine protection of agricultural crops. Eventually, it evolved into a period of fasting and abstinence in the days leading up to the Ascension, culminating with processions, blessings of the fields and celebration of Mass. The so-called Major Rogation Day actually falls just a few days after Earth Day, on April 25. No fields near your parish? No problem! Work with your parish priest and council to develop a format that works for your community. The Roman Missal, as well as the CCCB National Bulletin on Liturgy #136, list several suitable suggestions for prayers over creation.
4. Honour the Sabbath. As recently as 2006, Nova Scotia still prohibited Sunday shopping! Our Sabbath rest reminds us that we are meant to be much more than just workers and consumers. In fact, the book of Deuteronomy even demands that our animals rest as well. Extend the idea to your energy-guzzling machines and hard-working Amazon delivery person by taking a day off from laundry, commuting, and online shopping and instead relaxing with family and friends, or simply enjoying the splendour of creation itself.

Christine Legal is a parishioner at Our Lady of Fatima in Vancouver and a member of the Port Moody Laudato Si' Circle.

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