On September 7, our diocesan Care for Creation Ministry organized a special Season of Creation Mass to celebrate the Season of Creation (as called by Pope Francis every year to remind us of our responsibility to care for Creation and honour our Creator). The Mass was officiated by Most Reverend Yvan Mathieu, S.M., Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa-Cornwall who gave an inspiring homily about the Season of Creation and Laudato Si’.
Following the Mass, the second annual John Dorner Memorial Award was given to four young ladies from the École Secondaire catholique régionale de Hawkesbury: Students Rosalie Lucas, Kiliane Deslauriers, Maxime St-Martin with the support of their teacher Ms Lally Durocher. As leaders of their school committee to promote green practices, they raised much attention and motivated action with initiatives to invite their peers—always with a smile—to act throughout the year by cleaning up the town, building a produce garden at school, making promotional videos and presentations to City Councilors and the mayor as well as local parishioners. John Dorner’s widow, Anna, presented her own purse to the recipients of the award.
T.J. Koss, a member of Holy Redeemer parish in Kanata, was given an honourable mention because of the exceptional steps he has taken to make his home energy efficient and carbon neutral.
The Season of Creation logo was painted by a Visual Arts student at Ottawa University Khol Roy-Newton.
