On Sunday, September 14, our Button LIFE leaders (accompanied by some of our Guardian Angels) attended an archdiocesan event titled “Care for Creation.”
The event began with Mass at Mission Espada (Archbishop Gustavo was the celebrant). During his homily, Archbishop Gustavo discussed Laudato Si, an encyclical written by Pope Francis, which focuses on how we should care for our environment.
The main theme of the archbishop’s homily centered on how we oftentimes take nature for granted. Despite the fact that nature is beautiful and is a gift from God, many people still pollute our planet in various ways, are wasteful with our resources, or put other species at risk of extinction. Another recurring theme from the archbishop’s homily was that when we “hurt” nature, we hurt each other. For example, a lack of water affects our farmers - and, in turn, this affects God’s greatest creation, humans. He concluded his homily by reminding us that we can all play a role in making choices (even little ones) that are better for our planet and, ultimately, each other.
The second half of the event was a “pilgrimage” to nearby Mission San Juan. The hike put his message into a greater perspective. Walking from one mission to another, one could easily take in the beauty of a diverse ecosystem along the historic San Antonio River. Moreover, the archbishop even took the time to talk with our little group from Central. A very special shout-out goes out to Ms. Dorothy Hanson for inviting all to take part in such an impactful event!
- Written by Mr. James Bendele (Biology and Psychology Teacher, Evolution Instructor, and Guardian Angels Moderator)
