“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.” —Matthew 20:1-2

Two thousand years after Jesus told this parable, the plight of day-laborers remains precarious. Produce in America remains relatively cheap compared to other countries because much of it is grown and harvested by poorly paid immigrants, exposed to toxic pesticides daily without proper protection. Small farms and organic farms have a better track record of treating their workers— and the land—more justly than giant corporate farms. This week, shift some of your purchasing power to smaller growers and producers.
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Care for the Environment is a New Work of Mercy

Pope Francis tells us that “grateful contemplation of God’s creation” is a spiritual act of mercy. As a corporal work of mercy, care for our common home requires “simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence and exploitation and selfishness and makes itself felt in every action that seeks to build a better world”.

Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si” (May, 2015) is a good place to begin understanding how care for our environment is essential for care of our souls. In this letter our Holy Father explains how God is present in all His creation, and how mistreatment of the environment contributes to poverty, disease and political conflict. Most important, he guides us toward making a difference.

In this spirit, parishioners came together in 2015 to form the Care For Our Common Home Ministry of Our Lady of the Mountain Catholic Church.

Mission Statement:
Pope Francis calls us to listen to “the cry of the earth” and “the cry of the poor”. The Care for Our Common Home Ministry works to nurture the vision that leads to this ecological conversion. Our tools are study, provision of information, example, and works of ecological and social justice.

To join our efforts or attend a meeting, please contact John Burns at [email protected]