September 1 

Leader: In 2015, after the publication of his encyclical Laudato Si', Pope Francis established September 1 as an observance for the Catholic Church of prayer for the care of creation. Despite our sins and the daunting challenges before us, we never lose heart. In the words of Pope Francis, “The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us … for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward.” Let us pray today and throughout the year: 

All: O God of the poor, 
help us to rescue the abandoned 
and forgotten of this earth, 
who are so precious in your eyes. 
God of love, show us our place in this world 
as channels of your love 
for all the creatures of this earth. 
God of mercy, may we receive your forgiveness 
and convey your mercy throughout our common home. 
Praise be to you! 

Amen.