Online Book Club: Laudato Si

Have you spent the last year with the good intention of reflecting on Pope Francis's encyclical on the environment,  Laudato Si?  Perhaps the Boston College Online Book Club can help you "make good" on that intention.  Click here for more information about this four-week endeavor.

Providentially, a portion of this book club's discussion falls within the "Season of Creation" you heard about here last week.  So, perhaps you'd like to commemorate the World Day for Creation (September 1), the Season of Creation (September 1- October 4) and the International Day of Peace (September 21) followed by four weeks of online discussion (September 21 - October 25) on Laudato Si.

How to help Baton Rouge

We have seen and heard reports about the devastating flooding in Louisiana and we ask, "What can we do?"  Certainly, and always, we pray.  Additionally, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge offers ways to help.  Click here to learn how to donate or volunteer.

Season of Creation

As readers of this blog recall, last year Pope Francis announced a World Day of Prayer for Creation to be observed on September 1 each year.  By doing this, the Roman Catholic Church joined with other Christian churches so that about 2.2 billion Christian are invited to pray for creation on September 1.  In recent years, many Christian churches have been celebrating the "Season of Creation," between September 1 and October 4 (Feast of St. Francis of Assisi).

Would you like to observe this season, as well?  Click here to access the Season of Creation website, where there are many materials to assist in this prayerful commemoration.  Do you have ideas that you would like to share?  Please let us know so we can share them with the readers of our blog.  Thank you!

CST 101: Life and Dignity of the Human Person

"CST 101" is a seven-part video series presented by the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic Social Teaching.  A few weeks ago, we shared the first installment (which was "Option for the Poor and Vulnerable).  Today, we bring you "Life and Dignity of the Human Person."  (The video is available here and is embedded below.

Prayers before the Election

As readers of this blog are aware, it is our communal practice to pray and fast for peace on the 11th of each month.  During the months leading up to November 8, could we add the intention of the U.S. elections when we pray and fast on the 11th of the month?

Here are some suggestions:

• Pray this "Prayer Before an Election" suggested by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
• Reflect on portions of "A Revolution of Tenderness: A 2016 Election Pope Francis Voter Guide" (available here), especially considering the questions at the end of each section.
• Fast from critical thinking and violent words, especially toward/about people on the opposite end of the political spectrum.
• Fast from mindless entertainment and spend some time in worthwhile reading. 
• Fast from overuse of electronic media.

(Thanks to the Sisters of Charity for sharing many of theses suggestions.)

August 6

On August 6, 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan, directly killing 80,000 people and injuring 35,000 more.  On August 6, 2016, let us pray together that nuclear weapons become ancient history.  From Pax Christi USA:

O Cosmic Christ of the Universe,
Hear our prayers and petitions for peace in these times of chaos and fear.
You, who have endowed us with the capacity for love, compassion and generosity,
lead us toward global harmony and nonviolence,
away from the false security of war, violence and nuclear weapons,
away from the holocaust of the human race and massive global destruction.
Through your eternal grace,
inspire our voices to call for the dismantling of nuclear factories and bombs of death,
inspire our hearts with the desire and intention for global nuclear disarmament,
and transform our spirits into peacemakers of Christ, for "Blessed are the peacemakers."  Amen.

August Issue of Stop Trafficking

The August 2016 issue of the Stop Trafficking newsletter -- highlighting global corporate business models that promote profits at the expense of workers -- is available here.