Making a Positive Difference in the Care of Creation
Laudato Si’ has become a catalyst for us all – individuals, families, the Church and communities – to join in solidarity for the protection of ecosystems and promotion of sustainable use of natural resources. In that light, I applaud the innovative green infrastructure partnership recently entered into between the archdiocese, Mount Olivet Cemetery and the Maryland and D.C. Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
The project, which includes removing unused roads to create an environmentally-friendly oasis, will increase the beauty of the cemetery with new gardens and trees, and improve water quality in the Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay by retaining rain water on the grounds. Consequently, there should also rightly be a substantial reduction in the fees charged on impervious areas by the D.C. government since those surfaces are being eliminated.
As Pope Francis says, “All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents” (Laudato Si’, 14). This exciting initiative is an example of how, by coming together, we can take positive steps to improve the environment and protect the common home in which we all live. Please see here for more information.