Human Dignity and Solidarity

Parish Resources

Forming a Creation Care Team

Form a Creation Care Team at your parish and sponsor spiritual and educational events. Creation Care Teams maintain a visible presence in the parish community promoting the vision of Laudato Si’: Care for our Common Home. This is achieved by activities such as showing movies, after mass displays in the narthex, inviting speakers, getting articles placed in the Sunday bulletin, planting Laudato Si’ gardens, etc.

Sponsoring educational events at your parish is a great way to start. It only takes two to three people. The Archdiocese of Chicago has resources available that can help. Utilize Catholic Climate Covenant’s resources to form your own group or join forces with your parish Social Justice ministry. Many parishes are already engaged in activities that promote climate action and can provide guidance on how to do it. Creation Care Teams in our archdiocese can be a resource to help get you started and connected. For more information, contact Dr. Angela L. Swain at [email protected]. Also, see more details on educational activities that are available promoting climate legislation here.

Check out these parish examples of Creation Care Teams:

  • Ascension (Oak Park) - Honoring Our Mother Earth (HOME) Team (link)
  • St. Clement - Creation Care Ministry (link)
  • St. Elizabeth Ann Seton – Creation Care Ministry (link)
  • St. Giles (Oak Park) - Peace and Justice Committee (link)
  • St. James (Arlington Heights) - Earth Shepherds Ministry (link)
  • St. Joseph (Libertyville) -- Care for Creation (link)
  • St. Mary of the Annunciation (Mundelein) - Care for our Common Home - (link)
  • St. Mary of Vernon (Indian Creek) - Care for our Common Home Ministry - (link)

Laudato Si Gardens

Utilize the green space on your parish grounds to plant native plants and support local wildlife! Check out these resources from the Field Museum:

  • Garden Design (link)
  • Monarch Habitat Garden (link)
  • Native Plants (link)

Environmental Films & Documentaries:

  • Human Element (Link)
  • One Earth Film Festival (Link)

Advocacy Opportunity:

  • The Energy Innovation & Carbon Dividend Act (Link) 

Additional Resources:

  • Caring for God’s Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Acting - Parish Resources (Link)
  • Catholic Climate Covenant: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint (Link)
  • What You Can Do About Climate Change? (Link)
  • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Renewing the Earth (Link)
  • Catholic Climate Covenant prayers (Link)