A new network spreading across the Archdiocese of Louisville aims to connect and inform parishes, schools and Catholic groups as they work to care for creation.
“We wanted to create a peer-to-peer network so people can get ideas, share, and invite others to participate.”
— Pam Raidt
The Archdiocesan Creation Care Network was launched earlier this year by the archdiocesan Creation Care Team, an initiative of the Office of Faith Formation.
“We wanted to create a peer-to-peer network so people can get ideas, share, and invite others to participate,” said the team’s chair, Pam Raidt.
Parishes and schools in the archdiocese address many of the seven goals outlined in Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” Raidt noted.
A survey the team conducted last summer revealed that parishes and schools are making consistent efforts to care for creation, she said.
Some are upgrading their HVAC systems for energy efficiency. Others, such as St. Francis Xavier Church in Mount Washington, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Ignatius Martyr and Immaculate Heart of Mary churches are planting community gardens.
St. Raphael and St. Francis of Assisi churches have made their annual fish fries more sustainable. St. Raphael launched a “green” — a more eco-friendly — fish fry in 2024 and St. Francis of Assisi did so in 2023.
These two parishes are now part of the network and sharing ideas with each other and the rest of the network, made up of about 30 parishes, schools and organizations, Raidt said. The goal is for them to learn from each other and share ideas.
The network also aims to be informational and educational.
To that end, the network holds meetings quarterly and publishes a newsletter in between meetings, Raidt said, noting that the meetings are online.
“We offer it that way to encourage broader participation,” said Raidt. “We want people throughout the archdiocese to join in.”
The initial network meeting, held in February, was a general discussion about care for creation efforts. Moving forward, the meetings will have a theme based on one of the seven “Laudato Si’ ” goals, said Raidt.
The second meeting took place in May and the discussion was based on biodiversity. Dr. Kate Bulinski, a Bellarmine professor and a member of the Creation Care Team, spoke on biodiversity and ideas for next steps, such as planting native and pollinator gardens, Raidt said.
The August meeting will focus on ecological education and will be presented by Ashley Davenport, director of student activity at Holy Trinity School.
The team is also promoting various upcoming events through the network, such as its annual poster contest for grade school students and a new effort by a coalition of Catholic and environmental organizations, including the Catholic Climate Covenant, called “Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation.” The national initiative coincides with the Jubilee Year of Hope and the 10th anniversary of “Laudato Si’.”
It encourages people to make pilgrimages, “from short walks around parish grounds to longer treks through mountains or forests, to visits to places of natural beauty or ecological significance,” according to the Catholic Climate Covenant’s website.
“Wherever these pilgrimages take place, they all share the same mission: to restore our relationship with God, with each other, and with the Earth, and to cultivate a renewed commitment to caring for creation.” The pilgrimages will take place during the Season of Creation, observed Sept. 1 through Oct. 4.The network is open to anyone interested in caring for creation, said Raidt. To join the Zoom meetings and start receiving the newsletters, contact the team at creationcare@archlou.org.
