The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids and Associates are engaging the Season of Creation in a number of ways including: prayer, reflection, and pilgrimage. We welcome you to engage with any or all of these activities during the 5-week period of prayer and action that begins Monday, September 1 and concludes on the Feast of St. Francis October 4.
This is a time to celebrate God as Creator and to reflect on the truth that Creation is a gift – not a resource to exploit or abuse. It invites us to renew our relationship with Creation, striving to be stewards, caregivers, and healers.
“Nature is usually seen as a system which can be studied, understood and controlled, whereas Creation can only be understood as a gift from the outstretched hand of the Father of all, and as a reality illuminated by the love which calls us together into universal communion.” (Pope Francis Laudato Si’, 76)
This year’s theme is “Peace with Creation”, inspired by Isaiah 32:14-18. Not only are we called to restore peaceful with the Earth but also with one another. As Pope Leo XIV remind us, “Only a contemplative gaze can change our relationship with created things and lead us out of the ecological crisis caused by the rupture of relationships—with God, with our neighbor, and with the earth—resulting from sin.”
Pilgrimages and Contemplative Time in Nature
Aligned with this year’s theme, the 2025 Jubilee year and the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’, a broad coalition of U.S. Catholic Organizations is encouraging us to participate in “Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation” during the Season of Creation. These pilgrimages can take many forms, from cleaning up trash on public roads to planting native seeds on land in need of renewal. They offer a path to heal relationships with God, Creation and with one another, while fostering personal transformation, community-building, and solidarity with local impacted communities.
- Wednesday, September 17, 2025 — Pilgrimage of Hope at St. Alphonsus 6:30 – 8:00 pm | 224 Carrier St NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
In Grand Rapids, the Dominican Associates will host a pilgrimage on the evening of September 17. This pilgrimage will honor the Dominican Sisters’ long-standing commitment to justice, including Care for Creation. Through prayer, reflection, and music, we will remember ministries such as caring for children at St. John’s Home and teaching at St. Alphonsus School and lift up current ministries such as the prairie restoration. By recalling this history of faith-filled and justice-filled service, we hope to inspire gratitude for the past and a renewed hope for the future. Donations of food and clothing for the St Alphonsus Pantry are warmly welcomed.
- Wednesday, October 1, 2025 — Global Online Prayer Service — Join Sisters and Brothers around the globe for an online prayer service opening the Season of Creation. The event will take place at 3pm Central European Time.
- Saturday, October 4, 2025 — Blessing of the Animals
11:00 am | St. Francis Sculpture Garden
All are welcome to bring their pets—or a photo of a pet—for a special blessing. In addition to celebrating our animal companions, we will also recognize the ecosystems they call home and the fragile balance of Creation.
St. Francis Sculpture Garden, Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters Marywood Campus
Feel free to bring a chair.
Additional Ways to Participate
In addition to the events above, multiple resources will be available each week to support to help guide and inspire your journey to a renewed relationship with God and Creation.
- A Season of Creation theme will be included in each Sunday Assembly, thanks to the work of Teresa Burns.
- To support daily reflection, prayer cards will be placed on dining room tables in Aquinata Hall and Marywood each week.
- Weekly reflection activities will be offered at Sunday Assembly to invite participants to slow down, pray, and reconnect with the natural world. Each practice invites us to listen deeply to Creation, reflect on our relationship with it, and make concrete commitments to care for our common home. Come rediscover wonder, gratitude, and responsibility for the Earth in simple but meaningful ways. They will also be shared on social media.
- Season of Creation Prayer Cards will be available at each Sunday Assembly. Link to the Prayer: https://www.catholicbishops.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/season-of-creation-prayer-2025.pdf
And let us remember…
“We must also pray for the conversion of many people, both inside and outside the Church, who still do not recognize the urgency of caring for our common home.” (Pope Leo XIV)
Prayers are powerful. Thank you for joining us in the Season of Creation!
