Bishop Henning on God's Creation and 'Laudato si''

"'Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.'

"In the offertory of every Mass, the priest prays this prayer and a similar one for the wine. Echoing the tradition of Sabbath blessings in the Jewish tradition, these two prayers of blessing for the wine and bread to be used in the Holy Eucharist speak of the 'fruit of the earth' and the 'work of human hands' recalling the accounts from Genesis. The Holy Scriptures teach that creation is a gift of God and that we have a special place within creation. The human story begins in a garden - a perfect image of the partnership that the Lord would establish with us."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Richard G. Henning, the bishop of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the upcoming diocesan efforts to follow up on Pope Francis' Encyclical Laudato si'.

To access Bishop Henning's complete essay, please visit:

The State of Hope: Blessed are You, Lord God of All Creation (9MAY 24)

Related post:

Lop Notes: Pope Francis Issues Encyclical "Laudato si'" (23 JUN 15)