Venango Catholic High School, Oil City, PA; St. Patrick's, Franklin,PA; Immaculate Conception , CLarion PA
Excitement filled the air, as Earth Ribbons waved through it. Three elementary schools- St. Patrick's, Franklin, PA; Immaculate Conception, Clarion, PA; St. Stephen's, Oil City, PA; and Venango Catholic High School joined in liturgy , meal and fun for Catholic School Week's opening day Jan.28, 2019. Each student had previously meditated and learned about Laudatio Si, Care of Our Common Home- an encyclical letter by Pope Francis to the whole world. It is about committing to Care for Our Common Home- EARTH. Each student added the 8th Corporal and the 8th Spiritual Work of Mercy to the traditional list of seven as Pope Francis declared on September 1, 2016. - As a spiritual work of Mercy - through grateful contemplation of God's world" (LS, 214) "we are to discover in each thing a teaching God wishes to hand on to us "(LS 85) through Earth's beauty , workings, and mysteries. As a corporal work of Mercy - "to break the logic of violence , exploitation and selfishness with simple daily gestures.. action that seeks to build a better world" (LS 230-31).
Students through contemplation gave thanks for some aspect of Earth which teaches them, and they committed to some simple daily gesture to build a better world and stop violence, exploitation of Earth's creatures, plants and resources. They wrote these commitments on Ribbons and tied them on the Earth Ribbon Tree for their school as a public sign of their commitment. They will continue with these actions throughout the LENTEN Season and evaluate their success on EARTH DAY April 22, 2019. Some of the commitments: I will recycle ; I will work for clean water globally; I will plant trees in a national forest; I will not litter and put garbage where it belongs; I will compost...
Parents, teachers and board members were also invited to state a commitment to protect or name what about Earth they cherish, write it on the ribbon, and tie it on their particular school's Earth RIBBON Tree.
Intentions during the Mass included intentions for Earth and Care of our Common Home. After Mass the students enjoyed lunch, a magic show and games, meeting and greeting each other, generating community -- One EARTH Community in CHRIST!
NOTE: A local newspaper interviewed some students for an article on the FRONT PAGE the next day. Look it up - The Derrick Tuesday Jan 28, 2019
