Care for Creation Green Team

Our Mission

To encourage a deeper awareness of our duties to God’s creation and to take action at the individual, state, national and global level with a focus on prayer, ecological conversion, energy efficiency, conservation, and advocacy efforts.

Season of Creation 2024 Events

Sunday, September 1, at 9am, Prayer Service for Creation Day
Tuesday, September 10, at 9am, A conversation on the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Thursday, September 19, at 6pm, St. Matthews Care for Creation Green Team Monthly Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86181574570, Meeting ID: 861 8157 4570
Saturday, September 21, Global Day of Action for a Fossil Fuel Treaty
Friday, October 4, at 9am, Closing prayer service of the Season of Creation
Pray the Season of Creation 2024 Prayer
Link to sign up for clean energy

From Pope Francis

"Dear friends, time is running out! Deliberations must go beyond mere exploration of what can be done, and concentrate on what needs to be done, starting today. We do not have the luxury of waiting for others to step forward, or of prioritizing short-term economic benefits. The climate crisis requires 'our decisive action, here and now' (Laudato Si’, 161) and the Church is fully committed to playing her part."

Read the MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION.

Earth Day 2024 News

The Team from St. Matthew's at the Kingman Island Earth Day Clean-up, April 20, 2024.

Click on the photo to check out how a team from St. Matthew's celebrated Earth Day weekend 2024, joining the Anacostia Watershed Society in cleaning up Kingman Island.

Monthly Green Team Meetings on Zoom

Join us monthly to discuss projects and help plan activities that promote the Laudato Si' mission within our parish and beyond. Email the Co-chairs, Phil Downey and Simone Seym, for more information.
Join us, virtually once a month, 6-7pm every third Thursday.
The link for the recurring meeting is as follows: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86181574570; Meeting ID: 861 8157 4570; call in: 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

Archdiocese of Washington - Laudato Si' Action Plan

On the 5th anniversary of Laudato Si’ Cardinal Gregory announced the release of the Archdiocese of Washington (ADW) Laudato Si' Action Plan, which will provide guidance to parishes and the faithful to live out the tenets of Laudato Si'. (above, Catholic Standard photo / Mihoko Owada) The Holy See’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development document on Laudato Si' serves as the outline for the ADW Laudato Si’ Action Plan. Visit the ADW website to learn more.

Buy Clean Renewable Power

The Creation Care Team invites you to “go green” by purchasing your electricity from renewable sources. Check out the options for residents of DC, MD or No.VA, summarized in Buy Clean Renewable Power.

Advocacy

Support faith-informed climate policy by visiting the following sites to learn more:
Laudato Si’ Movement and the Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty
Laudato Si’ Movement
Catholic Climate Covenant
Maryland Catholics for our Common Home
Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (VA)
Interfaith Power & Light (DC, MD, and NoVA)
Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake

Take Action

Join our parish Care for Creation Green Team, email the coordinators: Phil Downey and Simone Seym.
Sign the Catholic Climate Declaration (St. Matthew's Parish has!)
Support Pope Francis' efforts: Stand with Pope Francis: Sign our Holy Father’s message for a just response on COVID and the Climate Emergency!
Join the Global Catholic Climate Movement which is directly connected to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Past Activities

Contact

Email the Co-chairs, Phil Downey and Simone Seym, for more information.

Check out the video of our 2021 Earth Day Green Team Clean-up on Facebook.

Members and Friends of the Creation Care GREEN Team at the 2021 AWS Earth Day Clean-up