CreationCareTeam | Holy Family Catholic Community

Season of Creation 2026

Living Water

Immersion in Living Water — Ezekiel 47:9, 12

Throughout the month of September, we are observing the Season of Creation as mandated by Pope Francis and carried forth by Pope Leo XIV. This year, the theme for Season of Creation is “Living Water”.

Week 1Source of Life: Living Water
There can be no life on Earth without water. From the very beginning in Genesis, water is present as the earth takes shape under the Spirit of God. It is the fundamental element that nurtures every living creature, shapes our world, and sustains our daily lives.
Beyond its physical necessity, water carries a profound spiritual meaning. Jesus spoke of Himself and the Holy Spirit as "living water"—a sacred gift that quenches our deepest spiritual thirst, restores our souls, and grants eternal life.
In the sacrament of baptism, water serves as a powerful symbol of purification, renewal, and spiritual rebirth. Just as water washes away impurity and refreshes the land, God’s sustaining grace cleanses us and fills us with new life. As we reflect on this precious gift during Creation Care, let us give thanks for the waters that nourish our bodies and spirits, and commit ourselves to protecting and honoring this divine source of life for all creation.
Week 2The Importance of Access to Fresh, Clean Water
Access to fresh, clean water is a fundamental human right. Clean water is the foundation of life, health, and human dignity. Yet today, millions of people in our own communities still lack reliable access to safe drinking water. What many of us take for granted often remains a daily struggle for entire communities.
Access to clean water isn't just a matter of convenience; safe drinking water is a fundamental human right and a direct requirement for human flourishing. Without clean water, health crises multiply, children miss school, and communities cannot thrive.
Let us commit to being good stewards of this precious gift and work toward a world where safe, fresh water is available to all.
Week 3Baptism
“From Matthew 3: After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him”. Through the waters of baptism, we experience the washing away of sin, receiving God’s abundant grace and a fresh start. As we go into the water, we symbolize dying to our old, sinful self—and as we emerge, we are raised up into new, abundant life in union with Jesus Christ.
This act mirrors Jesus’s own baptism in the Jordan River and serves as an outward, public confession of our inner faith. But baptism isn’t a journey taken alone—it firmly roots us within a wider community of believers, uniting us as one body in Christ.
As we reflect on our baptismal promises, let us give thanks for the water that washes over us and renews our spirits.
Week 4The Importance of Water for Irrigation
In Scripture, irrigation is more than a way to water crops; it is a vivid image of God’s sustaining power and constant provision. God’s presence and His Word nourish and refresh our spiritual lives, allowing us to grow and bear fruit.
In our world today, irrigation is vital for physical survival and community stability. Without reliable sources of water to cultivate crops, millions of people face severe food insecurity and are forced to leave their homes, driving global migration.
As we observe World Migrant and Refugee Sunday, we are reminded that caring for creation and caring for our neighbor are deeply connected. Protecting our water supply and ensuring agricultural stability is an act of justice, love, and compassion that helps families thrive in their homelands and preserves the precious gift of life for all.

Creation Care Team

The Creation Care Ministry exists to learn about and educate others of the importance to care for God’s creation, protecting our common home for the wellbeing of all, especially for future generations.

Our Values seek to address:
•Response to the Cry of the Earth is a call to protect our common home for the wellbeing of all, as we equitably address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and ecological sustainability.
•Response to the Cry of the Poor is a call to promote eco-justice, aware that we are called to defend human life from conception to death, and all forms of life on Earth.
•Ecological Economics acknowledges that the economy is a sub-system of human society, which itself is embedded within the biosphere – our common home.
•Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles is grounded in the idea of sufficiency and promoting sobriety in the use of resources and energy.
•Ecological Education is about rethinking and redesigning curricular and institutional reform in the spirit of integral ecology in order to foster ecological awareness and transformative action.
•Ecological Spirituality springs from a profound ecological conversion and helps us “discover God in all things,” in the beauty of creation, in the sighs of the sick, and in the groans of the afflicted, aware that the life of the spirit is not dissociated from worldly realities.
•Community Resilience and Empowerment envisage a synodal journey of community engagement and participatory action at various levels.

Pope Frances wrote the encyclical…..) with: We have some exciting programs being considered for the coming year, and we would welcome your participation in our efforts to Care for God’s creation. There are multiple ways you can participate:

Become part of our Creation Care Team. We meet monthly on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 10:30 AM.
Be on the mailing list for the monthly agendas and minutes and provide feedback (and new ideas) by email, text, or phone
Be available to assist with special events and programs as they are developed.
Participate in programs currently being developed at the Archdiocese level (may require attendance at events in other locations or on evening Zoom calls).

If you have an interest in working with us, please contact Jeff Hitz atjeffhitz@gmail.com.

Posters created by Family Faith Classes

Upcoming Events

Reading Materials

3rd Annual Native Oak Sapling Give Away - May 9 and 10

Learn More

Adult Books
Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy
How Can I Help? Saving Nature With Your Yard
Second Nature by Michael Pollan
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan
All We Can Save: Truth, Courage and the Solutions for the Climate Crisis Edited by
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson & Katherine K. Wilkerson

Childrens’ Books
Zandi’s Song by Zandile Ndhlovu
Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom
Under the Sea, a Little Explorers Book
How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate by Lynne Cherry and Gary Braasch