Presented
by:
Roman Catholic Womenpriests-USA
and
Association
of Roman Catholic Women Priests
Our call to action has to do with
the responsibility that God has given each of us to care for creation, the
creation that God saw was good.
Greeter,
Sue Guzik, ARCWP
Suzanne
Thiel, RCWP: Welcome
to this liturgy celebrating God’s creative love in the majesty of our Mother
Earth and her children. As we come
together this morning, and in the tradition of our Apache and Navajo brothers
and sisters, please allow the opening music to open your hearts and minds as we
imagine the power of God’s creative, generative love and the majesty of
creation. The rising sun, the eternal
seas, the vastness of the universe, and our breathing in and breathing out, the
gift of life in all her forms as we celebrate today.
Procession
of Four Elements:
Gospel
Book: Maria McClain, RCWP
Wind/Air
with Large Feathers: Donnieau Snyder, RCWP
Sun/Fire
with small incense bowl: Juanita Cordero, RCWP
Earth with
basket of fall bounty: Mary Blanchard,
ARCWP
Rain/water
with bowl of water and sprinkling branch: Penny Donovan, RCWP
Elements
are raised up as Opening Prayer proceeds:
Sun Prayer
- Jen O’Malley, RCWP:
O fiery Holy Spirit, inspire us with your
sun and its sacred awareness so we might cherish the health and survival of our
earth and her inhabitants, especially our children and future generations.
ALL: We praise you for the gift of fire.
Rain
Prayer - Maureen Mancuso, RCWP:
Creator God, whose Spirit moves over the
face of the waters, who gathers the seas and directs the courses of rivers, who
sends rain upon the earth, you who bring forth life,
ALL: We praise you for the gift of water.
Wind
Prayer – Irene Senn, RCWP:
O Gracious God, as we listen to your
voice heard in the soft breeze, you who give us air – the breath of life,
ALL: We praise you for the gift of air.
Earth
Prayer – Carol Giannini, ARCWP:
O God, maker of heaven and earth, of all
that is seen and unseen. You place us in
your creation and you command us to care for the earth in reverence and praise.
ALL: Teach us and show us the way.
(Four
elements are place in front of altar.)
Opening
Hymn and Greeting: By Breath (Sara Thomsen)
(Mary
Eileen Collingwood, ARCWP, Cantor)
Ree Hudson, RCWP, Kathleen Miller, Kathy
Wimmer, Diane O’Donnell, RCWP, Mary Eileen Collingwood, ARCWP
Refrain: By
breath, by blood, by body, by spirit, we are all one. (x2)
The air that is my breath is the air that
you are breathing;
And the air that is your breath is the
air that I am breathing.
The wind rising in my breast is the wind
from the east, from the west,
From the north, from the south, breathing
in, breathing out. R
The water that is my blood, my sweat,
tears from crying
Is the water that is your blood, your
sweat, tears from crying.
And the rising of the tide is in our
veins and in the ocean wide.
We are in the rising steam, rushing
river, running stream. R
The earth is dust, the earth is clay,
flow’rs blossoming and fading;
We are dust and we are clay, we are
blossoming and fading.
Every color, every sound, every place is
holy ground.
Oh, every living thing, can you hear it
laugh? Can you hear it sing? R
The fire in my heart, my soul flame
burning;
Is the fire in your heart, your soul
flame burning.
We are Spirit burning bright, by the
light of day, in the dark of night.
We are shining like the sun, and like the
moon, like the Holy One. R
Suzanne
Thiel, RCWP: May the grace of God,
the love of our brother Jesus, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit be with each
of you.
ALL: And also with you!
The Word
of God
Joan
Shrout: A reading from Native American Spiritual
Teachings:
“The first peace, which is the most
important,
Is that which comes within the souls of
people
When they realize their relationship,
their oneness,
With the universe and all its powers,
And when they realize that at the center
of the universe
Dwells the Great Spirit,
And that this center is really
everywhere,
It is within each of us.”
ALL: Thanks be to God.
ALLELUIA (David Haas)
Maria
McClain, RCWP: A reading from the
Gospel of Matthew (6:26-33):
“Look
at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow
or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet our God in heaven feeds them. Aren’t you more important than they?
Which of you by worrying can add a moment
to your lifespan? And why be anxious
about clothing? Learn a lesson from the
way the wildflowers grow. They don’t
work; they don’t spin. Yet I tell you,
not even Solomon in full splendor was arrayed like one of these. If God can clothe in such splendor the
grasses of the field, which bloom today and are thrown on the fire tomorrow,
won’t God do so much more for you – you who have so little faith?
Stop worrying, then, over questions such
as, ‘What are we to eat,’ or ‘What are we to drink,’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
Those without faith are always running after these things. God knows everything you need. Seek first God’s reign, and God’s justice,
and all these things will be given to you besides.”
ALL: Praise to you O Mother God of Creation!
Homily: Slideshow Presentation
Readers: Ree Hudson, RCWP, and Mary Eileen
Collingwood, ARCWP
Ree
Hudson:
Our Earth
Community – Dancing with the Spirit of Mother Earth (author unknown)
Today, now is the moment.
I promise myself to reach out and touch
the Earth.
I will dig my fingers into the soil and
remember what it is that sustains me.
It is this that I touch, the sacred soil,
The fertile land, the holy Earth.
Now is the moment I promise to reach out
and touch our brothers and sisters.
I will run my hand along feathers, shells,
fur and sand to remember what sustains us.
It is the ocean eternal,
The infinite sky,
The sun,
The rain,
The wind,
Our holy Earth.
Today, I promise to reach out and embrace
understanding.
I will hold in my heart that my fellow
creatures and I are equal in the Mother’s love.
Earth is blessed. It flourishes with radiant beauty.
Blessed are the waters. They flow with clarity and quench our thirst.
Blessed are the trees. They absorb toxins and give us breath.
Blessed are the birds. They soar stately in the sky.
Blessed is the fire. It melts all walls of separation with
energies of love.
Blessed are those who live in the
universe, are inclusive of all, and celebrate the re-sacralization of the
planet.
They shall experience beauty in all that
is revealed.
Mary
Eileen Collingwood:
Great
Spirit,
Give us
hearts to understand never to take from creation’s beauty more than we give.
Great
Spirit,
Whose dry
lands thirst, help us to find the way to refresh your lands.
Great
Spirit,
Whose
waters are choked with debris and pollution, help us to find the way to cleanse
your waters.
Great
Spirit,
Whose
beautiful Earth grows ugly with misuse, help us to find the way to restore
beauty to your handiwork.
Great
Spirit,
Whose
creatures are being destroyed, help us to find the way to replenish them.
Great
Spirit,
Whose
gifts to us are being lost in selfishness and corruption, help us to find the
way to restore our humanity. Amen.
Presentation
of the Gifts: Juanita Cordero, RCWP,
Tom Mormon, Penny Donovan, RCWP, Tom Hill, Mary Blanchard, ARCWP, Betty Hill
Offertory
Song: Song of
the Body of Christ (David Haas)
Refrain: We come to share our story. We come to break the bread. We come to know
our rising from the
dead.
We come as your people, we come as your own,
united with each other, love finds a home.
R
Bread of life and cup of promise, in his
meal we all are one, in our dying and our rising, may your kin-dom come. R
Bread and wine presenters stay on altar holding
up bread and wine and praying together:
Blessed are you, O God of all creation.
Through your goodness, we have this bread
and wine to offer,
Which earth has given and human hands
have made.
It will become for us the bread of life
and our spiritual drink.
ALL: Blessed be God forever!
(Lowering
bread and wine, presenters remain on the altar)
Eucharistic
Prayer
Sun/Fire –
Jen O’Malley, RCWP: As the
scattered grains become one bread,
ALL: Gather us together. As the grapes are combined to make this wine, ALL:
Gather us together.
Rain/Water
– Maureen Mancuso, RCWP: From the farthest ends
of all the earth,
ALL: Gather us together. At this table of Christ Jesus, ALL:
Gather us together.
Wind/Air –
Irene Senn, RCWP: May God be with us. ALL: And with the whole world. Lift up your hearts. ALL: We lift them up to God. Let us give thanks to God. ALL: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
The
assembly is divided into four parts, praying:
WIND/AIR
GROUP:
God, the Musician, we honor you. You who make flutes of the willows by the lakeside
and of the reeds on the river bank; in the morning music of the blackbird; you
who blow your wind on the sun-parched plains; and you who hold all of these
sounds in the silence of a star-studded night sky, we honor you.
EARTH
GROUP:
God the Architect, we honor you. You who silently whisper the secrets of
home-building in the hearts of weaver-birds and ants; in the hearts of spiders
and mice; in the scared geometry of the temple-makers, and in the wombs of
mammal mothers, we honor you.
RAIN/WATER
GROUP:
God, the Awakener, we honor you. You who patiently call forth more and more
complete images of Yourself. You who
send prophets into every age to nudge religion towards spirituality and to move
us from mere belief-in-gods to experiences of the God-within and the God-among-us,
we honor you.
SUN/FIRE
GROUP:
You who are the Commissioner of the
Christ, we honor you. You who continue
to awaken us from illusion. You who are
the Gentle Mother watching while the great crises of our times are understood for
what they really are: great
opportunities for seeing beyond the separation into Oneness, our origin, our
mission and our home, we honor you.
ALL: Holy, Holy, Holy, FIRE OF LOVE. Heaven and Earth yearn for your love. Blessed
are you who comes to show us the depths of your desire for us. Hosanna in the Highest!
Altar
Presenters
extending hands over the elements:
Gracious God, let Your spirit come upon
these gifts and make them holy, so that they may become for us the body and
blood of Jesus the Christ.
(Bread is
held up)
TOGETHER
BY ALL: On the night before he died,
while at supper with his friends, he took bread, said the blessing broke the
bread and give it to them saying; “Take this, all of you and eat. This is my body. Do this in memory of me.” (pause)
(Wine is
held up)
TOGETHER
BY ALL: In the same way, he took the cup
filled with wine. He said the blessing,
gave the cup to his friends, and said, “Take this all of you and drink. This is by blood. Do this in memory of me.” (pause,
and all at altar bow)
EARTH
GROUP – Carol Giannini, ARCWP: Let us proclaim the
mystery of faith:
ALL: When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we
proclaim our faith in You, Jesus Christ, and our hope in the face of our
earth’s survival.
SUN/FIRE
GROUP:
Fiery Spirt, enflame us with the fire of
Your healing love and compassion for all of creation.
RAIN/WATER
GROUP:
O current Energy permeating all in the
heights upon the earth and in all depths, you bind and gather all people
together.
WIND/AIR
GROUP:
Gracious, quick to forgive, loving and
tender-hearted God, open our minds and hearts to the sure knowledge that we are
one world, one people.
Altar
presenters hold up bread and wine.
ALL: Through Christ, with Christ and in Christ, in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, O God, forever and
ever. Amen!
The Prayer
of Jesus
ALL: Our Mother, our Father who art in
heaven… but deliver us from evil. For the din-dome, the power and the glory are
yours now and forever. Amen.
Sign of
Peace
Suzanne
Thiel, RCWP: May the peace of God be
always with you.
ALL: And also with you.
Assembly
invited to exchange a sign of peace with those seating nearby.
Loving God
SUN/FIRE
GROUP: Loving God, you call us
to spirit-filled living.
ALL: Guide us by Your Spirit.
RAIN/WATER
GROUP: Loving God, you call us
to live the Gospel of justice and peace.
ALL: Strengthen us to serve with compassion.
EARTH
GROUP: Loving God, you call us
to be your spirit in the world.
ALL: Grant us peace.
WIND/AIR
GROUP: Loving God, you call us
to be your Presence in the world.
ALL: We will walk humbly with our God.
Communion
Suzanne
Thiel, RCWP: Gives direction for communion announcing all are welcome at
our Eucharistic table.
Communion
Ministers: Suzanne Theil, RCWP, Penny Donovan, RCWP, and Juanita Cordero, RCWP
Communion
Hymn: One Bread, One Body (John Foley)
Refrain: One
Bread, One Body. One God of all, one cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the Earth, we
are on body in our one God.
Gentile or Jew, servant or free, woman or
man, no more. R
Many the gifts, many the works, one in
the God of all. R
Grain for the fields, scattered and
grown, gathered to one for all. R
Communion
Prayer
Mary
Eileen Collingwood, ARCWP: We give thanks and
praise that we have all been called to form one sacred community with our
Mother Earth and her children.
ALL: Amen.
Suzanne
Thiel, RCWP: Discusses donation procedures and the equal
division between RCWP and ARCWP.
Donation Collectors: Maria McClain,
RCWP, and Mary Blanchard, ARCWP
Final
Blessing
Mary
Eileen Collingwood, ARCWP: Please stand and place
your right hand on the shoulder of the person next to you or extend your hand
and say together:
ALL: We commit ourselves to care for all gifts of Creation.
We commit ourselves to explore and
understand environmental concerns.
We commit to work with others for
environmental justice for all.
Mary
Eileen Collingwood, ARCWP: Then please extend
your hands out in a blessing and continue:
ALL: May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by
night,
May the rain wash away your worries,
May the breeze blow new strength
into your being,
May you walk gently through the
world and know it’s beauty all the days of your
life. (Apache Blessing)
Closing
Hymn: Canticle of the Sun (Marty
Haugen)
The
heavens are telling the glory of God, and all creation is shouting for
joy! Come dance in the forest, come play
in the field, and sing, sing to the glory of our God! (Repeat)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Mass and prayers were inspired in
part by the following:
Fr. Sean’s “A Liturgy Celebrating Christ
Consciousness,” Sisters of the Holy Family’s Earth Day Prayer Service, United
Methodist Church “Worship Festival of God’s Creation,” National Council of
Churches Call to Worship, “Earth Day Celebration of the Senses,” A Mass
Celebrating Hildegard of Bingen, and the United Nations Declaration on Human
Rights and the Environment, Native American Spiritual Teachings, Apache
Women’s’ Prayers, Native American Ten Commandments, and the Manataka American
Indian Council.
Music:
Diane O’Donnell, RCWP, Kathleen Miller, Kathy Wimmer, and Ree Hudson,
RCWP.
 |
| Left ot right: Mary Blanchard and Mary Collingwood in Exhibit Hall |
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