Today we marked the 8th anniversary of Laudato Si’ , Pope Francis’ major encyclical on the environment, by an ecumenical prayer service in our garden, where we blessed our new solar panels. Children from Immaculate Conception Academy sang and offered reflections on the “Cry of the Earth” . Faith Leaders, Fr. James O’Shea, Sr. Teresa Fitzpatrick, Pandit Yoganand Ramnarain, and Fr. Luis Daniel Guivas offered prayers. Our local Congressman James Gennaro was also present and commented on our garden’s privileged place in the geologic development of this area of New York City.

Dan Misleh, from Catholic Climate Covenant and Page Gravely from Mission Energy led the blessing of our solar panels.

The Passionists, responding to Pope Francis’ call, have repositioned our retreat center here in Jamaica, New York – Thomas Berry Place, named for Passionist Thomas Berry, a leading figure in understanding the new story of our environment.

Appropriately, most of those who participated in the event today were young people, who inherit a world now crying out from wars and our poor care of creation and its most vulnerable members. I could not help but think that the trees surrounding us, the fresh green earth, the sparkling sun today was offering the promise of something better and beautiful.