Season of Creation 2023

By Miss Julia St. Clair, Province Communications Director

(New Rochelle, NY – August 31) – This year's Season of Creation begins tomorrow, Friday, September 1, and will last through the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on Wednesday, October 4. The theme for 2023 is “Let peace and justice flow.” There is an opportunity to learn more and sign up for resources at https://seasonofcreation.org/.

Last week, I took my first full week of summer vacation in two years. I spent the bulk of my time in Lake Placid, NY, during which I journeyed to Whiteface Mountain in nearby Wilmington. Whiteface is the fifth-tallest mountain in the state and one of the highlights of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. I took the gondola to Little Whiteface Mountain, then hopped into my car and drove to the top of Whiteface via Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway. After I parked my car, I climbed the summit to the top of Whiteface, where I could see the mountains that stood tall on the earth and the wide and vast scenery looked like little specks of beauty and peace. As Dante exclaimed in the Divine Comedy, I had been left senza parole— without words—to describe the beauty of nature and time that stood still.

Along with the physical wonder that amazed me, I also felt moved by tenderness by the kindness of my fellow visitors as I climbed the summit. Though we were strangers, we helped one another. We warned those we encountered going up or coming down of slippery spots in hopes they would be all right. Additionally, we both encouraged and knew when to be patient with one another when we saw someone struggle to take the next step. Moreover, we took photos for one another when we saw people struggling to take selfies (I was one of them!).

Overall, the beauty of nature, Whiteface Mountain, the Adirondacks and its High Peaks made me feel immersed in God’s gift of creation. It’s a work of art that mankind cannot fully describe, no matter how much we try. God’s gift of creation is meant to inspire, fascinate, and unite us. We can also encounter creation in many ways, such as spotting a flower or a butterfly. As we see and appreciate God’s gift of creation, we can begin to respect it and, in time, restore it. Speaking of which, I also journeyed to The Wild Center, a natural history museum in Tupper Lake, and look forward to sharing what I learned there and how it can help us respect creation in a future issue.

My recent experiences are just a few that many of us have had in nature. So, let’s have all members of the Salesian Family share their personal reflections and photos with us during this year’s Season of Creation. These can be on how you protect, care for, enjoy, and further God's gift of creation, especially in our communities, parishes, schools, and works. All are welcome to submit, and we look forward to sharing your experiences with ecological learning and advancements throughout our province!

Please send your submissions to communications@salesians.org between now and Monday, October 2.