Last Thursday evening, OLPH was honored to host a Solemn Vespers for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Begun three years ago, this annual ecumenical event celebrates a meeting of minds and wills between members of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches in relation to our God-entrusted responsibility to care for the world and its environment. In attendance were Bishop Francis J. Kane, who presided at the ceremony, and Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, the chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. Clergy and faithful from both the Catholic and Orthodox churches were present at the event which was followed by a reception and talk by Mr. Bob Langert, a former executive at McDonalds and expert in sustainability.
The evening was permeated by a sense of goodwill and brotherhood, and I’ve since received numerous comments of gratitude from our Orthodox brothers and sisters who were in attendance. Throughout the night, I kept thinking back to the words of the psalmist: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.” (Psalm 133) I am grateful for the peace of that evening, and left the ceremonies more mindful of the common task of humankind to care for our world.
Fr. Nick Kostyk
