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Webinar: Celebrating the ‘World Day of Prayer for Creation’ with the New Mass
Why and How to Mark the Day of Prayer & the Extended ‘Season Of Creation’

You are invited to register for a webinar on June 9 about two beautiful gifts from the last two popes for the universal Church.

On one hand, the ‘World Day of Prayer for Creation’ is celebrated annually on September 1st or the following weekend, inspired by an ancient Orthodox liturgical tradition commemorating God's act of creation of the world. As Pope Francis wrote in his 2015 letter instituting the observance, the day of prayer should be “properly celebrated with the participation of the entire People of God: priests, men and women religious, and the lay faithful.” Moreover, an extended ‘Season of Creation’ (Sept 1 - Oct 4) is inspired by and flows from that special day.

On the other hand, Pope Leo enabled our liturgical celebrations of this observance by promulgating the ‘Mass for the Care of Creation’, which was recently added to the Missal – something unprecedented since 2002. For the first time, we have a Mass with a dedicated set of creation-related biblical readings (lectionary) and prayers (formulary) that make our September celebrations much more meaningful.

The webinar will answer questions as: (1) Why is this new Mass so significant for our celebrations of the world day of prayer? (2) Why is creation an integral-yet-unnoticed part of our liturgical life? (3) Why is this celebration such a precious pastoral opportunity and urgent necessity given the “signs of the times” that Laudato Si’ warned about? (4) How do we actually celebrate this new Mass and what liturgical texts are available in a given country? (5) What other resources (homily tips, songs, devotional prayers, etc) can support the celebrations?

Various liturgical and pastoral resources will be presented and later shared with registered participants (if the webinar time doesn’t work for you, feel free to register so you receive the resources).

WEBINAR DETAILS:

Date: 9 June 2026
Time: 6 am Saskatchewan

Who is this webinar for: national episcopal conferences and commissions, diocesan and parish teams, priests, Laudato Si’ Animators, JPIC animators of religious congregations, and anyone else interested in the topic. Participation is open and free.

Speakers: 


  • Welcome greetings by conveners: Bp. Allwyn D’Silva (FABC), Sr. Mary John Kudiyiruppil (UISG), Mónica Santamarina (World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations).
  • Plenary speakers: Bp. Gerardo Alminaza (Philippine Bishops’ Conference), Shawna Rebello (DBGA), Christina Leaño (LSM), Sr. Catherine Vincie (formerly Aquinas Institute of Theology), Fr. Jérôme Guingand, SJ (Jungmann Society for Jesuits and Liturgy), Fr. James Puglisi (formerly Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo).
  • Moderator: Sr. Maamalifar Poreku (UISG).

Languages: webinar offered in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese.

Webinar co-conveners: Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM), Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), Union of Superiors General (USG), International Union of Superiors General (UISG), World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), Laudato Si’ Movement, Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Don Bosco Green Alliance, Focolare Movement, Catholic Climate Covenant, Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (CADEIO).

Please register through the form at https://form.jotform.com/261384511416049
 

The “MAiD for You?” Tour has completed but information can be found here: Hope Does Not Expire

As Canada prepares for the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to include mental illness, many are left with significant questions. This tour aims to explore the evolving landscape of MAiD, share real-world stories from healthcare settings, and raise critical ethical and social questions about how we support those who are suffering.

The tour featured Larry Worthen, Executive Director of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA) of Canada. Larry brings a wealth of expertise on the medical and ethical implications of MAiD legislation and a profound perspective on the value of life in healthcare.

Learn more at hopedoesnotexpire.ca

To watch the full presentation please visit here:https://www.youtube.com/live/GhnqXrJidRY?si=h7lGzomWu1Posjpk&t=318

Common Territory: Indigenous and Newcomer Stories of Belonging 


 presented by the Regina Region Local Immigration Partnership (RRLIP) in partnership with the RRLIP Anti-Racism and Discrimination Working Group (AR/DWG).

Produced by the Chilliwack Local Immigration Partnership in collaboration with Bear Image Productions, this documentary brings together the voices of Indigenous Peoples and newcomers to explore shared experiences of belonging, displacement, and cultural identity. Through personal stories, the film highlights connections to land and the ongoing journey of maintaining cultural identity in Canada.

Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Film Theatre, Regina Public Library (2311 12 Ave.)

 This event offers an opportunity to come together, learn, and engage in meaningful conversation in a welcoming and inclusive space. Light refreshments will be provided.

 Hunger on the Hill:
 Canadian Foodgrains Bank Advocacy Education

Next Hunger on the Hill event: October 17–21, 2026

Are you concerned about the global food system? Have you wondered about Canada’s role in improving food security for people around the world who experience hunger? Would you like to make a difference?

Applications for our next Hunger on the Hill cohort are now open until June 21, 2026!

Read the Application Guide. Apply now!

Please note that applicants must be residents of Canada.

 Through Hunger on the Hill, participants will:

 

  • Connect with people from across the country who share a passion for ending global hunger
  • Discover tools and tips to advocate for change, and learn how to effectively communicate with parliamentarians about global hunger
  • Learn from sector experts how climate change and food insecurity are connected to our food systems
  • Meet face-to-face with MPs and Senators in Ottawa
  • Be equipped with resources and support to engage others in advocacy

For more details, please read our Application Guide.
Still have questions? Please contact us at foodjustice@foodgrainsbank.ca
 

You Did It For Me: The Call to Mission Animated by Hospitality

The St. Philip Neri Parish Summer Festival of Faith, takes place in Saskatoon, July 8-14. Registration is now open!

Speakers: Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, Eric A. Clayton, and others.
All are welcome. Free-will offering.

We eagerly welcome all who wish to attend one or more cost-free sessions during the festival. This year we welcome, as our featured presenters, our very own beloved Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, as well as Eric A. Clayton, an award-winning author, storyteller, retreat leader, and the deputy director of communications for the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the USA.

This year we request that all participants register for sessions prior to July 6th.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We also welcome volunteers to help ensure a meaningful experience for all.

For more details, to register, or volunteer, visit the event site here.
Or visit the parish website at stphilipneriparish.ca


 Ancient Texts for Our Troubled Times

Ancient Texts for Our Troubled Times is a three-part series, each one hour duration, presented by Prof. Amy-Jill Levine, on Zoom. The full program for this year is: 


  • Misunderstanding Jewish Practice and Belief Means Misunderstanding Jesus and Paul - Tues, 2 June 2026
  • Antisemitism: Why Does it Persist in Catholic Preaching and Teaching 60 Years After Nostra Aetate #4? - Tues, 4 August 2026
  • Supersessionism: Naming and Addressing the Issue - Tues, 1 September 2026

Each session will be recorded and made available on the Bat Kol International website after each event. With time zone differences, this international series will be held at varying times around the world. Check your local time here.
Note: Registration will ensure that you receive a link to a video recording of the event and notification of each upcoming session (2 June, 4 August, 1 September).

Registration is free via the Bat Kol International website.

These events are generously sponsored by the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), with the support of the Australian Council of Christians and Jews (ACCJ) and the National Council of Jewish Women Australia (NCJWA.) 

Options Pregnancy Centre provides girls, women and their families with free, confidential services. They provide practical, informative resources, emotional support, educational programs, material support and client advocate services that help women in our community to make informed choices when facing an unplanned pregnancy.

Their Annual Baby Bottle Campaign, May 10 to June 21, involves individuals taking a baby bottle home from participating churches on Mother’s Day, filling it with money or a cheque, and then returning the bottle on Father’s Day. Alternately, if you can't get a bottle from your church, you can pick one up from the Centre.

It's not too late to participate! Even after the campaign has begun, you can pick up a bottle from the Centre, or access their resources online. Included online is information about managing an online campaign (beneficial for out-of-town supporters), as well as resources to help families get their kids involved and thereby learn about biblical money management.

Additionally, you can help fill our Baby Bottle when you drop into Pass the Word. (It's a gigantic bottle, so we need lots of help to fill it!)

For more information about Options and their baby bottle campaign, please visit their website (2025 Baby Bottle Campaign — Options Pregnancy Center) , or call 306-757-1371. 

Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence
Encyclical letter by Pope Leo XIV, May 25, 2026

 The dignity of the human being as the criterion to orient technical progress. Pope Leo XIV, in presenting to the world and to all the people of God, his first Encyclical Letter, focused on the care for the human person in the time of Artificial Intelligence, said “I invite all members of the Church and of the human family: let us learn to listen to one another, face the present challenges with courage, and cooperate in building a more human and fraternal society. [...] Please take with you a commitment to stay awake and, as ‘artisans of hope’, to keep on building the worksite of our time. May the Spirit of the Risen Lord Jesus sustain our work together.”

 

Theology of Church Apologies

The Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada has issued a report on their three-year study of apology through the lenses of scripture, theology, and history. In recent years several churches have offered formal apologies to individuals and communities
 of people who have been harmed – sometimes traumatically – by our words and deeds. Do such apologies make any difference? What makes an apology genuine? Why apologize in the first place? These are some of the questions we’ve heard people inside and outside of our churches ask, and they’re among the questions we’ve asked ourselves in preparing this latest work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada, which also includes Lutheran and Eastern Catholic participation.


‘Feast of Creation in Christ’ adopted by Revised Common Lectionary
 May 19, 2026
 
The Consultation on Common Texts (CCT) has officially adopted the festival of ‘Creation in Christ’, also known as ‘Feast of Creation’, by adding it to the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) for a three-year period of trial use. As the lectionary shaping the calendar of many Protestant churches, this is a historic breakthrough in Christian ecumenism given its inspiration in the Eastern tradition.

The enhanced version of this feast, which will begin to be celebrated in September 2026, is the fruit of a theological process with the participation of various Christian global bodies in recent years. By expanding the feast’s theological symbolism with a rich set of biblical readings, this proposal elevates the doctrine of creation to a more prominent position within Christian worship, filling a gap in the liturgical calendar of churches who previously did not celebrate Christ’s role in the creation of the world.

The announcement marks the first addition of a new feast to the common lectionary since its release in 1983, when two new observances were adopted — the festivals of the Baptism of the Lord and Christ the King, also known as Reign of Christ — inspired by Roman Catholic practice.

This new festival of ‘Creation in Christ’ is inspired by another tradition: that of the Eastern Orthodox church, for whom September 1 is a liturgical feast since the 8th century. Given its ancient symbolism as the day marking God’s creation of the world, the Eastern Orthodox invited “the entire Christian world” in 1989 to celebrate this observance together in view of the ecological crisis. Since then, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been a vocal advocate of the annual celebration of the Feast of Creation, or ‘Creation Day’ as it is also known, with WCC and many churches adopting the day of prayer throughout the decades.

 Now, following scriptural recommendations from an ecumenical working group, the Consultation on Common Texts has taken it one step further by expanding its theological symbolism and adding the feast to the common lectionary that shapes the liturgical calendar of many Protestant churches. Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, who chairs the Feast of Creation ecumenical process, said: “The official adoption of the ‘Feast of Creation in Christ’ in the Revised Common Lectionary is a huge milestone, a truly historic step in the journey towards Christian unity. At the World Council of Churches we rejoice in seeing how an ancient tradition of the Eastern Orthodox church has inspired a major group of Western churches to adopt this festival in their liturgical calendars. It is theologically profound, liturgically sound, pastorally urgent, and ecumenically unprecedented.”

Materials released by the Consultation on Common Texts include biblical texts that will be used in liturgical celebrations of the festival, as well as theological reports by the ecumenical committee that outline the feast’s theological themes. These themes span a theological spectrum beginning with the act of creation of the universe as a Christological and Trinitarian mystery, extending to the sacredness of the natural world, which is regarded as revelatory of God and is nowadays desecrated by human abuse. Biblical readings and details are available at www.bit.ly/readings-feast-creation.

The festival’s title, grounded in the expression “Creation in Christ”, signals that Christ’s role in the act of creation is the starting point for this celebration in line with the Christological nature of liturgical calendars of Christian traditions. This central Christian doctrine is iconically expressed by the opening lines of the Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the Word... All things came into being through him.” The new festival translates the foundational place of this tenet into adequate expression in the liturgical year, reverting its prior absence and enriching the calendar’s Christological span.

This announcement is the fruit of several years of ecumenical collaboration and academic conferences in Assisi with liturgical scholars, theologians from other disciplines, and church leaders exploring the potential of this ancient feast and seeking to restore the centrality of creation theology in the Christian tradition. The process was anchored in and inspired by the recent commemorations of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

Observed annually on the first Sunday of September, the inaugural celebrations of the festival of Creation in Christ will be aided by the RCL lectionary readings and various materials published at the website www.FeastOfCreation.com.

Resources:
● Official lectionary readings: www.bit.ly/readings-feast-creation
● Theological report – “Overview of the Feast of Creation”: www.bit.ly/feast-of-creation-theology
● Lectionary Methodology report
● Feast of Creation Introductory Overview
● Ecumenical and liturgical resources: www.FeastOfCreation.com

Image: Creation of the world in 13th-century Bible Moralisée (Codex Vindobonensis 2554).
 Credit: Wikimedia, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

If you missed out on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity you can catch the two lectures below with the following YouTube links:

Lecture 1:

https://www.youtube.com/live/05EuUd4XAqI?si=PBLQQ_Qi07LnyZCO

Lecture 2:

https://www.youtube.com/live/cIEl19Gw-6Q?si=ObsA9bUW8KUVv4KP



 2026 De Margerie Lectures on Christian Reconciliation and Unity

"Christian Martyrdom and the Unity of the Church," a two-lecture series with Dr. Jeremy Bergen.

When Pope Francis heard about the 21 Copts killed by ISIS in Libya in 2015, he said this: “It makes no difference whether they be Catholics, Orthodox, Copts, or Protestants. They are Christians!... Their blood confesses Christ.” He was tapping into a powerful intuition. There is something in the stories of Christian martyrs—both those killed centuries ago and those killed much more recently—that might inspire, instruct, and draw together otherwise divided Christians.

 In the first lecture, we examine the basic claim that a history of martyrdom serves as a resource for ecumenism. By exploring the stories and legacies of some particular martyrs, we can see how unity and solidarity might be expressed, but also some of the challenges and tensions. In the second lecture, we look at one major barrier—the history of Christians killing Christians. During the Reformation, for example, the execution of fellow Christians was justified on theological grounds, and some of those killed are honoured as martyrs by some churches. How do we reckon with this history in ways that do justice to the past, and promote reconciliation and unity in the future?

 

  • Lecture 1: The Ecumenism of Blood: Solidarity in Trying Times
    We examine the basic claim that a history of martyrdom serves as a resource for ecumenism. By exploring the stories and legacies of some particular martyrs, we can see how unity and solidarity might be expressed, but also the challenges and tensions. https://www.youtube.com/live/05EuUd4XAqI?si=PBLQQ_Qi07LnyZCO
  • Lecture 2: Christians Killing Christians: Reconciling Violent Pasts and Conflicting Martyrdoms
    We look at one major barrier — the history of Christians killing Christians. During the Reformation, the execution of fellow Christians was justified on theological grounds, and some of those killed are honoured as martyrs by some churches. How do we reckon with this history in ways that do justice to the past, and promote reconciliation and unity in the future? https://www.youtube.com/live/cIEl19Gw-6Q?si=ObsA9bUW8KUVv4KP

 
Dr. Jeremy Bergen is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Theological Studies at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo. He has written on church apologies, martyrdom, ecclesiology, ecumenism, the Holy Spirit, and Mennonite theology, and is currently completing a book on Christian martyrdom and the unity of the church for Baylor University Press. He is the author of Ecclesial Repentance: The Churches Confront their Sinful Pasts (2011), and several articles on church apologies for residential schools in Canada. He is a member of the Faith & Life Commission of Mennonite World Conference and is co-editor of the Mennonite Quarterly Review.

The 2026 De Margerie Lectures on Christian Reconciliation and Unity are sponsored by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, St. Thomas More College, Campion College, the Saskatoon Theological Union, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and the Archdiocese of Regina.

For further information, contact Cathryn Wood, PCE executive director, at 306-653-1633 or admin@pcecumenism.ca