St. Francis loved animals – so much so that he is the saint most likely to be depicted in garden statues. He was known for preaching to the birds and negotiating a truce with “Brother Wolf.” The saint was especially concerned with creatures with a biblical connection to Christ, such as lambs and worms – based on the passage, “I am a worm and no man” (Ps 22:6), referring to Christ and his suffering. Make an effort to care for the creatures in your life, whether that’s maintaining a bird feeder, paying extra attention to your pets, or volunteering or donating funds to an animal shelter.
You can learn more about caring for the earth on Earth Day through “Prayer, Learning, & Action.” Sponsored by Catholic Charities and the Sisters of Mercy, this event will include presentations on local Care of Creation topics. The event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, in Curtin Hall on the Sisters of Mercy campus, 101 Mercy Drive, Belmont. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. RSVP for the free event by Monday, April 20, at www.ccdoc.org/education.