Season of Creation: An Ignatian Invitation

From September 1 (World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation) through October 4 (Feast of St. Francis of Assisi), Christians worldwide celebrate the Season of Creation. For us in the Ignatian tradition, this sacred time is an invitation to “find God in all things” by noticing God’s presence in the beauty of creation and in the cries of the earth and the poor. Rooted in Laudato Si’ and the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preference of “Caring for Our Common Home,” this season calls us to conversion of heart and to daily choices that embody cura personalis—care for one another and for our common home. Like the Examen, it is a time to pause, give thanks, and discern how God is inviting us to live in deeper harmony with creation. This year, we invite each parishioner to choose one simple practice for one month:

• Meatless Mondays – reduce your carbon footprint with a plant-based meal once a week.
• Car-free Sabbath – walk, bike, carpool, or take public transit one day a week.
• Energy Fast – unplug electronics overnight, turn off lights, or limit heating/cooling.
• Plastic Pause – refuse single-use plastic bags, bottles, or utensils.
• Creation Examen Walk – take a weekly prayer walk outdoors, giving thanks for creation.

At the end of each week, take a brief Examen: Where did I notice God in creation? How did I succeed or struggle in caring for creation? Together, our small steps become a communal act of hope—one way we live out our Jesuit call to honor God by caring for our common home.

Photo: Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus planting seeds in a garden in Bohol, the Philippines. laudatosiactionplatform.org