"Imagine that I spent a lot of time making a gift for you," proposes America magazine's Father Jim Martin at the start of Care for God's Creation, the third installment of CST 101, a series of videos from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services.  "... And then you ended up stepping on it or throwing it out. How do you think that would make me feel?"

Father Jim's thought experiment, of course, turns to the sacred gift of Creation, and the sacredness of our duty to care for it.

Father Jim, along Catholic Relief Services President Dr. Carolyn Woo and Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council of Peace and Justice, speak in language that is plain and compelling, but rooted in the mysteries of our faith, the depths of how our mandate to care for the creation we inhabit is a defining part of our identity as Christian persons. "The care for Creation translates directly into the care for our brothers and sisters," Dr. Woo underscores.

CST 101 is a collaborative 7-part video series presented by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic social teaching.

We received the Earth as a garden. It would be very unfair if we pass on the Earth as a wilderness.
— Cardinal Peter Turkson

The videos bring the themes of Catholic social teaching (the Church's collective wisdom and teaching on the values and Christian vision of a just society) to life and inspire us to put our faith into action.

Some suggested uses include adult faith formation, incorporating into high school theology classes, sharing with parents of religious education students, integrating into lay ministry formation and using them to prepare groups for service trips. Or simply for our own reflection, to better understand how we and our families exist in society along with our fellow creatures among God's creation, living and moving and bearing God's word.

Featured in these videos is the wonderful artwork of Bro. Mickey O'Neill McGrath, OSFS, along with contributions from some of the most respected figures in contemporary Catholic thought:

  • Bishop Robert Barron (Archdiocese of Los Angeles),
  • Jonathan Reyes of the USCCB,
  • Prof. Helen Alvaré of George Mason University,
  • Msgr. Ray East (Archdiocese of Washington),
  • Fr. James Martin of America magazine,
  • Dr. Carolyn Woo, president of Catholic Relief Services,
  • Cardinal Peter Turkson (Archdiocese of Cape Coast), president of the Pontifical Council on Peace and Justice, and
  • CatholicMom.com's own Lisa Hendey.

The videos are being released on a rolling basis, and all 7 will be released by the spring of 2016 with an accompanying discussion guide. Care for God's Creation appears below.

We hope you enjoy, share, and discuss this installment, along with the whole series to follow. It'll change the way you see your relationships.

[embed width="560" height="315"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSnXuCxiHXE[/embed]

Click CC for Spanish subtitles.

Already introduced has been:

Installments to follow include:

  • Rights and Responsibilities; 
  • Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; 
  • The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workersand 
  • Solidarity.  

Please share with your communities, and watch this space for each installment to follow.

See all the Catholic Social Teaching 101 posts here.