Earth Day

On April 22, people around the world will turn their attention to planet Earth. Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes.

The first Earth Day observance was April 22, 1970. But throughout the centuries, there have been champions for our environment, including a few Catholic saints. St. Benedict of Nursia (480-583) believed that a spiritual person will, along with prayer, work to make the world a better, more harmonious place. This is why most of his followers commit to staying on one piece of land for long periods of time. It’s also why many are involved with brewing beer, raising bees or some form of organic farming or handcraft, according to aleteia.org.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), an Algonquin-Mohawk, converted to Catholicism when she was 19. She is the patron saint of the environment, environmentalists, people who have lost their parents (hers died of smallpox when she was four years old) and Native Americans.

St. Francis of Assissi (1181-1226) famously loved animals but also recognized a strong bond with the environment, inviting all of nature to give glory to God

In 2015, Pope Francis’ first encyclical,  “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” called on everyone to participate in a dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. The pope called on the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges.

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website (usccb.org), the title of the encyclical is taken from the first line, “Laudato si’, mi Signore,” or “Praise be to you, my Lord.” The words come from “The Canticle of Creatures,” by St. Francis of Assissi, which reminds us how we are all related, like a family, to the sun, the moon, the stars, the air and the earth.

The Canticle of the Sun, by St. Francis of Assissi

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,

Yours are the praises, the glory, the honor, and all blessings.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong,

and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Praised be You, my Lord, with all your creatures;

especially Brother Sun, who is the day, and through whom You give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,

and bears a likeness to You, Most High One.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;

in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind,

and through the air, cloudy and serene,

and every kind of weather through which You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,

which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire,

through whom You light the night;

and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth,

who sustains us and governs us and who produces

varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord,

through those who give pardon for Your love,

and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace

for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord,

through our Sister Bodily Death,

from whom no living man can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin.

Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will,

for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord,

and give Him thanks,

and serve Him with great humility.

Amen.