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Environment: Faith in Action
St. Francis' respect for the world and everything in it appears in his Canticle of the Creatures. In the canticle St. Francis sees God in all of creation, of which he is a part. And since creation is from God, it must be treated with dignity and cared for.
The Order of Friars Minor Conventual tries to reflect St. Francis’ approach to creation in daily life. It realizes the gravity of the damage humanity has done to the environment and wants to do its share in reducing the effects of global warming and pollution in general.
In 2006, the order released A Call to Communion. The document establishes the Conventual Franciscans' current approach to the environment and urges all of us to action.
What can you do?
We need to act now! The Arctic ice is melting and smog clogs the lungs of untold millions living in cities. Our planet's lungs - the Amazon rainforest - are quickly disappearing. The situation seems dire. What can you do?
1. Bring a reusable bag for your groceries.
2. Walk, cycle, or take the bus. Your car won't pump pollution into the air and maybe you'll discover something new because you don't have to focus on the road. If you walk, your health will improve.
3. Save electricity. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
4. Don't let the water faucet run needlessly.
5. Recycle.
6. Get closer to creation. When you have some free time, take a walk through your local park, savor the delicious freshness of the air, and look at the world in wonder.
7. Email us your environment stories at peter@franciscans.org and we will make them available here. We want to hear about everything that you do to make Mother Earth healthy again.
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