CEC Mass with Archbishop Grob

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Laudato Si Project

We were honored to have his Archbishop Jeffrey Grob say Mass at the CEC’s Holy Family Chapel on Saturday, October 11th 2025. It was a packed house with a video broadcast into our St. Francis Hall. We were also blest to have our Chaplain Fr. John concelebrate for this historic occasion.

Following the Mass was a reception and social in St. Francis Hall and with beautiful Fall weather, many enjoyed time on our deck taking in the sights and sounds of this amazing time of year! Our executive director, Joe Meyer, took the Archbishop, the Archbishop’s mother and Fr. LoCoco on a golf cart tour of the CEC property including Clare Gardens Organic Farm…Yes, they were able to pet our holy hens, Peter and Paul the goats and Loretta (“Larry”) the pig!

CEC Family Campout 2025

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Laudato Si Project

The annual Campout at the CEC was an incredible weekend filled with lots of faith, family, fun, and friends! This year’s campout began with the Mass of the Assumption, celebrated by Fr. Andrew Linn. After Mass and dinner, campers moved to our campfire where Andre Lesperance led us in praise and worship music while many marshmallows were roasted and smiles were shared!

The next morning provided time for visits to the farm animals and a family rosary. Fr. Jacob Strand gave a catechetical talk and kids had the opportunity to play large group games. Throughout the morning there was an opportunity for families to drop by the blacksmith to learn the art of forging and shaping metal. Tim Burrus and Al Steinberg, two volunteer astronomers, came out and set up solar scopes- special telescopes with protective lenses, so campers could safely gaze at the sun and even see some sunspots!

While the early afternoon blest us with some showers, there were some great indoor programs including a talk by author Emily Koczela about her amazing series Very Young Catholics and a program all about monarch butterflies and their amazing migration!

All of that fun was sure to work up an appetite, and there was plenty of food to go around at the barbeque on Saturday evening! Brats, hamburgers, potato salad, and many other summertime staples were munched on and enjoyed as people gathered together at JPII Hall.

After supper, people headed to our Holy Family Chapel for spiritual nourishment through confession and adoration led by Fr. Michael Joseph. It was humbling to see young and old alike gathered in such peace and reverence, connecting with our Lord in this intimate way. The night continued with more fun by the campfire as the sun set and night sounds surrounded us.

The campout concluded on Sunday with Mass in the Holy Family Chapel. Fr. Michael Malucha joined us as the celebrant, and we were graced with many great altar servers, musicians, and singers!

The campout was a weekend jam packed with blessings- we are so thankful for the many priests, musicians, cooks, volunteers, sponsors and loving hearts who pitched in and participated to make it such a joyful, fabulous time! We are blessed to have such an incredible community of amazing people- it was truly a time to rejoice in the goodness of God, others, and the natural world around us!

Pope Francis: Inspiring our Mission

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Laudato Si Project

This past weekend, the world gathered by the thousands to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of Pope Francis: the 265th successor to Peter and Shepherd of the Catholic Church. His life was a testament to a humble, sincere love that permeated all relationships: with God, others, and the environment.

What’s in a name?

From the very start of his shepherdship, the Argentinian Jesuit set the tone for his papacy with the choice of his papal name: Pope Francis. The name is a first in the papacy and is in tribute to St. Francis of Assisi, the well-loved saint known for having a heart for God’s creation: the plants, animals, and the people, especially the poor.

Pope Francis acted in imitation of his namesake as he also had a heart for the marginalized and vulnerable. Whether it was washing the feet of the poor on Holy Thursday, designating a Jubilee Holy Door at a Roman prison, or connecting with those at the lone Catholic parish in war torn Gaza every night at 7pm, he was a man who not only noticed, but cherished those around him – acting so that others would feel the love of God.

He also had a heart for creation, following in St. Francis’ footsteps, as evidenced by the publication of his encyclical, Laudato Si. Laudato Si is Italian for “Praise to you” and comes from St. Francis of Assisi’s work, The Canticle of the Creatures. In this prayer, St. Francis beautifully captures the magnificence of different aspects of the natural world and expounds how they all raise their praises to God above. A passage reads:

“Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful.”

Though it may seem strange to think of the sun as a brother or the moon as a sister, in choosing these words St. Francis illustrates a relationship with the world around him. There is a sense of familiarity and care that wells up akin to that found in familial relationships.

It is the strong basis of relationship that is woven throughout Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si, too. He writes: “Human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself.” ( Laudato Si, pp 66).

While not the first pope to do so, in his encyclical and in multiple instances throughout his papacy, Pope Francis highlighted in a special way, that in order to love God and live out the Gospel message of caring for our neighbor, it necessitates that we care for our common home. He wrote: “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” (Laudato Si, pp 217).

How do we do this, though? How do we care for those halfway across the world that we may never meet? How do we act in service of the environment when the destruction and effects are so stark and far reaching? The answer is one akin to the charisms and legacy of both St. Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis: humble and unassuming, but with long lasting reverberations. Pope Francis wrote: “An integral ecology is also made up of simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness.“ (Laudato Si, pp 230).

In the small everyday gestures of saying no to buying a new gadget, saying no to taking a long shower, or saying no to leaving the lights on in the room as you leave, you are simultaneously saying yes to living a life of care: for God by cherishing his gift of creation, for others as you share the resources they too need, and of course for the environment as you soften your impact. It is a humbling yet profound reality that in something so small, we can demonstrate so great a love.

St. Francis of Assisi’s original Canticle of the Creatures. This year, 2025 marks its 800th anniversary!

Stirring the Heart

The beautiful and inspiring call for the faithful to live a life of integral ecology that Pope Francis articulated so eloquently in Laudato Si stirred the hearts and minds of many throughout the world. One who was particularly taken by this was our founder, Joe Meyer, who has always had a heart for creation. As a science teacher at Marquette University High School and lover of all things outdoors, he’s spent hours birdwatching, studying ecology, and generally marveling at the wonders of the natural world. If you’ve ever had a conversation with him, you know the unbridled enthusiasm that radiates as he teaches and shares his knowledge and love of the environment!

Upon hearing the call of Pope Francis through Laudato Si in 2015, Meyer was drawn to do something more. By 2016, he had founded Laudato Si Project, a nonprofit dedicated to restore humanity’s connection to the natural world through faith, education, stewardship, and recreation.

For years, he went to schools and parishes, facilitating retreats, ecology workshops, and service projects so that others could grow in relationship with Christ and His creation. After 2 years it was evident to him that as the mission and desire for the ministry was growing, there was a need for a more a physical and permanent home! In 2021, Meyer was able to open the Catholic Ecology Center in Neosho, WI.

Through the many blessings of God, lots of hard work, and the generosity of countless volunteers and donors, we have been able to serve and work with nearly 25,000 people in the four short years since our opening. Whether by grooming the goats, praying at the outdoor stations of the cross, or learning about amphibian life cycles by looking for tadpoles by the pond, each day brings a new opportunity to encounter the beauty of nature, the goodness of others, and the glory of our God behind it all!

An aerial view of the Rubicon River which winds through the property.

Praying for Pope Francis

As he did so much to inspire our mission, we hold Pope Francis close to our hearts these days and always as we pray for the repose of his soul. In his words, deeds, and ministry he illuminated the real and critical responsibility we have to be stewards of creation and to sow love through our daily choices. As we pray for the Pope and remember him in the coming days, let us work to act in imitation of the man who was a shepherd to so many, and follow his challenge for us to be “protectors of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment.” (Papal Homily, March 13, 2019).

Pope Francis…Pray for us!

Beauty as a Gateway to God

Posted on March 10, 2025March 12, 2025 by Laudato Si Project

Photography, paintings, ceramics, paper crafts, oil pastels, and even legos grace the lobby of the CEC as the works of art be-speckle the shelves and frames where they are on display. From large sweeping canyons to small petite chickadees, the artwork evokes all sorts of responses- joy, wonder, awe, and contemplation- that naturally well up after a short stroll through the galleries.

You might be wondering why, as a Catholic nature center, we are hosting an art show, but after a brisk springtime walk around the property you’ll notice there is a common thread tying together the works of art inside and our property outside.

March is a mercurial month. The fluctuation of warm and cold, freezing and thawing, sweatshirts and winter jackets may feel like a bit of a ride up and down on a yo-yo. But even if this mud-filled month is not your favorite, it’s clear that there is a lot going on during this time of perpetual change. After a trek along the trails of the CEC, you’ll find that things are not as bleak as they might seem. The bright scarlet of red osier dogwood branches reach out over the wetlands in scraggly bunches of cheery, cherry stems. The pale mint of lichen hug the branches of alders as their frills and folds add patches to the smooth grey bark. Bend down and, upon close examination of a tuft of moss, you’ll find small silk-like stalks called sporophytes that shoot up like arms raised, just waiting for the day they will release their pouch of spores out into the open like a burst of confetti! Among these small hints of life there is no doubt about it- the place is beautiful.

And it makes sense, then, that the beauty outside our walls permeates the inside of our building as well. We are inspired by the incredible beauty outside our doorstep, the work of the supreme artist and ultimate Creator, God. And in fact, this is how we are introduced to God in the very first pages of the Bible as he creates the Heavens and the Earth. God is, as St. Pope John Paul II wrote, “a kind of exemplar of everyone who produces a work: the human craftsman mirrors the image of God as Creator.”

Being made in the image and likeness of God, we too are called to participate in the life giving vocation to create. Whether this is creating with paint, pencil, chalk, sculpture, reseeding a prairie, or making a meal for our family, as we create we are called to act as God does: with love, care, and offering our creativity a generous gift of ourselves.

And true beauty- found in nature and art alike, is a transcendental that harkens us back to God. Who hasn’t marveled at a gorgeous painting, or stood in awe of the intricate patterns etched into the ice and been drawn out of themselves and felt close to God? It’s a beautiful relationship that exists and is deeply intertwined, that among art, beauty, the natural world, and God.

Our New Art Piece

It is integral then, that we have the work of artists to stir our hearts, draw us to God, and inspire us to our vocation to create lovingly in imitation of our Lord. Here at the CEC, we are truly blessed to have recently received an incredible donation of a beautiful work of art, that does just that!

The piece started when Mark and Emily Koczela first encountered the artwork of Samuel Bates. The couple was drawn not only to the incredible pieces of stonework that Bates created, but after some conversation, they were drawn to the artist too! Both parties shared a deep appreciation for art, but a deeper appreciation for God as a source of inspiration and the ultimate Artist. Before too long, the three were collaborating to create a work that would be on display in the Koczela’s home: a striking 3-piece stone triptych.

Sam shared, “ This stone triptych began as a conversation with Mark and Emily Koczela about the nature of stone itself, the tools and techniques of carving, the shapes and forms of design possibilities and the many things that inspired the vision for the artwork which they were entrusting to me. It became clear as we talked that, while all of these things are important, what matters most to them are not “things” but God, the Creator of All Things.”

The creation of the piece was no small feat! Come and visit the CEC to see it on display and you can read all about the “ stone cowboys”- the skilled men who worked hard and diligently to quarry the ancient, incredible rock slab off the walls of a Montana cliffside. The stone alone is an incredible marvel, a piece of metamorphic slate that geologists estimate is over 1 billion years old! Additionally, the two stones on each side of the tryptic showcase an extremely rare occurrence known as “ book matching”, where the natural break in the rock created the two pieces that are symmetric to each other.

After the stone was obtained, there were sketches, lots of conversations, and hours upon hours of work put in by Sam. All the carving was done using hand-held tools with diamond and garnet grit as an abrasive cutting edge. Aside from the 24 karat gold leaf, there is no other pigment used in the work. Carving through the layers of rock naturally revealed the dark unoxidized black interior of the rock, providing incredible, natural contrast and definition.

The piece hung in Mark and Emily’s home for years, but with an upcoming move, the couple realized that they no longer had the space required for their beloved work of art. Through God’s providence, they found us! After a visit to the Catholic Ecology Center in January 2025 it was clear the couple, artist, and our organization were all aligned and deeply moved by the shared mission to preserve and celebrate beauty as it leads us to the Lord.

In a few short months and with lots of help, things were prepared for the new gift that was to grace our hall. Walls were removed, and brackets added for internal support to hang the behemoth 300 and 600 pound stone slabs. Some amazing volunteers and board members used their strength and teamwork to carefully lift and place the pieces up on the wall in their new home where the piece was then covered while visitors waited in anticipation until the day would come for the big reveal!

Pointing toward God

On March 2nd, though, at our member’s art show, the piece was unveiled! Titled, Ex Nihilo, it gracefully points to God, not just due to the beauty and peace solicited from gazing upon it, but also in its title. Ex nihilo is a term used to describe the kind of creation that comes from God and God alone. For only God creates ex nihilo– out of nothing. Human craftsmen, on the other hand, create out of materials– they create out of God’s creations.

The artwork further points towards God as Bates explains, “Since the inspiration for this piece is the presence of God in and through creation, the big question became how to select and interpret imagery that directs attention past the carvings themselves to the unseen source beyond them. The fact that creation is a mystery that both reveals and veils the Creator has been central to both theology and philosophy for aeons. The horizon of Lake Michigan, which is clearly visible near [ the Koczela’s] home, is a natural focal point, as well as a natural metaphor about the presence and transcendence of God. What in nature evokes the reality of the unseen more powerfully than the vanishing point between the sky and a vast body of water? Everything leads up to that line, and everything comes from it, although it is not a “thing” at all. So, while looking at these carvings, one’s eye goes to and from the horizon and encounters diverse forms (things) but it is always directed back to what is not a thing, the nothingness of the horizon, and then on to Someone rather than something, Who is Being Itself.”

Artist in Residence Program

The Catholic Ecology Center is a space for encountering Christ- in the sacraments, in the beauty of the land, in the goodness of the people who visit, and in the works of art that are around us. If you haven’t already, come and enrich your heart and mind with the wonderful art pieces that are found at the CEC! From our new stone triptych, Ex Nihilio, to the wonderful works present in our member art show, to the land around us, we are blessed to be so steeped in beauty and have countless reminders of our loving God!

In his letter to artists, St. Pope John Paul II wrote of the incredible duty of the artist, “The artist has a special relationship to beauty. In a very true sense it can be said that beauty is the vocation bestowed on him by the Creator in the gift of “artistic talent”. And, certainly, this too is a talent which ought to be made to bear fruit, in keeping with the sense of the Gospel parable of the talents (cf. Mt 25:14-30).” In our desire to steward and celebrate true beauty of all forms and bear good fruit of all kinds, we are excited to announce the launching of our new artist in residence program! The program offers opportunities for adult painters, photographers, and other artists to use the CEC property as inspiration for a body of work. The artist is invited to spend up to a week staying in one of the cabins on our beautiful CEC property this summer, and use the space of the CEC to incorporate their passion for faith, creativity, and the outdoors as they create a body of work to share with others. In the fall/winter the artist will have their work on display in our gallery for all to see. If you or someone you know might be interested, please find more information on our website HERE.

Great saint and nature lover Saint Bonaventure once wrote “In things of beauty, he contemplated the One who is supremely beautiful, and, led by the footprints he found in creatures, he followed the Beloved everywhere”. During this Lenten season, we invite you to the CEC, to follow the footsteps of the Beloved- in nature and in artwork, and delight in the many gifts of beauty that God has given to us!

CEC Director Joe Meyer with Emily Koczela, our generous benefactor, and Sam Bates the artist in front of the piece

The Snowshoe Priest!

Posted on December 26, 2024 by Laudato Si Project

Trekking the Wintry North Woods with Venerable Bishop Baraga

The snow glistens and glimmers as the sunshine sparkles and dances off of the soft drifting banks. The snow is pressed down in hushed crunches, leaving large, shallow imprints like oblong saucers in a trail behind the winter wanderer. This peaceful scene is familiar to snowshoers, those who strap contraptions shaped like beaver tails to the bottom of their boots making their feet big like lynx paws. The large surface area (of both snowshoes and lynx paws alike) distributes weight, allowing the snow trekker to float on top of the first few inches of the deep snow.

Snowshoes have been around for thousands of years and come in many different shapes, styles, and materials. From the lightweight plastic and aluminum ones you can find today, to the rawhide and white ash ones that have been made for centuries by the Ojibwe, people have constantly been finding ways to adapt to the influx of snow that slows down winter travel.

Left: Traditional Ojibwe Snowshoes made of White Ash and Rawhide. The pointed tips help to break through icy, crusty snow and avoid snagging in brush.

Right: Modern lightweight snowshoe models available for use at the CEC.

For those who have experienced deep snow without snowshoes, it doesn’t take long to tire of “postholing”- the exhausting practice of schlepping your legs out of the deep snow, hoisting them up, just to step forward and sink back down and repeat the whole process over again. While it is much easier with snowshoes, traversing any trails in winter is a workout regardless!

It puts into perspective the incredible journeys that Bishop Frederic Baraga made in the upper peninsula of Michigan as a priest and bishop in the mid1800s. Originally from Slovenia, Father Baraga was born on June 29, 1797. A bright young man, Fredric learned many languages including German, Slovenian, French, and Latin. He became a lawyer after studying at the University of Vienna, but felt the call to the priesthood and joined the seminary shortly thereafter. By age 26, he was ordained Father Baraga and served the people of his diocese for several years. Eventually though, he felt drawn to become a missionary priest and in 1830 set sail for America!

He began his work in Cincinnati, studying the Ottawa language. His aptitude for linguistics allowed him to pick it up quickly, and in 1831 he was asked to go to an Ottawa Indian mission at L’Arbre Croche (present-day Cross Village, Michigan). He grew very close with the people and came to know them, their way of life, and language in a deep way. In 1837, he published Otawa Anamie-Misinaigan, the first book written in the Ottawa language, which included a Catholic catechism and prayer book.

His ministry wasn’t limited to the Ottawa people though. Fr. Baraga established missions all over the U.P. and had a deep love that is evident in his action and interactions with all of the people he encountered. In his work with the Ojibwe, he not only learned their language, but published pastoral letters both in English and Ojibwe in addition to translating over 100 Catholic Hymns in the Ojibwe language which are still used today. When the government tried to relocate and force the Ojibwe from their land, Fr. Baraga was a staunch advocate for them and worked to ensure they could retain their home.

Additionally, as the German and Irish immigrants moved to the Upper Peninsula to work in the copper mines, Fr. Baraga would minister to them and their communities. His role as a shepherd to such a large and distant flock meant that he traveled extensively. In the summertime, this was often by foot or canoe, but winter in Michigan’s upper peninsula can bring over 300 inches of snow per year, so snowshoeing was his method of transportation! In February of 1845, it was recorded that Fr. Baraga walked over 600 miles in the course of five weeks! This dedication and grit earned him the nickname “The Snowshoe Priest.”

In 1853, Fr. Baraga was ordained Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, now the diocese of Marquette, Michigan. He worked to bring more priests in to minister to the area, but it was a challenge to find those who could minister to both the Native American and immigrant communities. Not surprisingly, Bishop Baraga’s physical stamina and linguistic aptitude were difficult to match!

He continued ministering and snowshoeing to his flock late into his sixties. In 1866, when visiting Baltimore for a Bishops conference, he suffered a severe stroke. He immediately asked to go back to Michigan to be home among the people of his flock. His health fluctuated from that point on until he passed away in 1868 among the people he loved and had dedicated his life to.

Left: The shrine of Bishop Baraga in Michigan’s upper Peninsula.

Middle: Man standing by one of the snowshoes that are used in the Statue of Bishop Baraga at his shrine.

Right: A cross on the shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota honoring Bishop Baraga.

The city of Marquette, Michigan declared the day of a his funeral a civic day of mourning. Despite the cold temperatures and blizzard like conditions, the church was filled to capacity and then some as people, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, spilled out to honor the man they believed to be a saint in their midst.

Today you can visit the shrine of Bishop Baraga in L’Anse, MI where a giant copper statue stands of the priest and his trusty pair of snowshoes. On the north shore of Lake Superior, in Minnesota, you will find a Fr. Baraga memorial cross. Whether on the shores of Lake Superior where he ministered or on the trails here at the CEC, call to mind the humble, hardworking, and adventurous life of venerable Bishop Baraga the next time you strap on your snowshoes. Venerable Bishop Baraga…Pray for us!

Come snowshoe at the CEC! Rentals are free for members or $5/day for non-members.

CEC Campout 2024

Posted on August 27, 2024 by Laudato Si Project

The annual Campout at the CEC was an incredible weekend filled with lots of faith, family, fun, and friends!

While it showered on and off Friday evening, no rain could dampen the sunny spirits of our campers as they arrived! People made the best of the wet weather by picnicking inside the buildings, playing board games and coloring in JPII Hall, or hunkering down nice and cozy in their cabins or tents.

As the evening wore on, the clouds parted and many joined CEC director Joe Meyer as he led a nocturnal creatures hike on the green trail. After learning more about the amazing CEC creatures that call the night their home, the trek concluded with a roaring campfire where many marshmallows were roasted and smiles were shared!

The next morning provided time for fellowship as families milled about JPII hall sipping coffee and tea and cooking up delicious breakfasts like homemade pancakes and bacon! At 10:00am adults were invited to a formation talk by Fr. Andrew Linn, who spoke about the virtue of prudence and how to cultivate and practice it in our daily lives.

Simultaneously, the kiddos got to join together and play some games led by Regina, one of our educators. The games were lots of fun and included hula hoop relay races, ultimate rock, paper scissors tournaments, tag, and more! The homemade cheers and chants added all the more excitement and fun to the festivities!

The afternoon provided some great free time with lots of activities to choose from. Families took advantage of the nice weather and went fishing in the pond, canoeing down the Rubicon River, and hiking on the trails. Tim Burrus and Al Steinberg, two volunteer astronomers, came out and set up solar scopes- special telescopes with protective lenses, so campers could safely gaze at the sun and even see some sunspots!

By the pond pavilion, Dominic, our newest educator, ran some crazy and wacky games that included ax throwing, crate pulling, and lots of water balloons! Suffice to say, there was plenty of laughter to be heard!

On another part of the property, the Milwaukee Public Museum hosted insect catching by the butterfly garden where swallowtails, monarchs, and a whole host of insects were examined amidst the gorgeous wildflowers of our native prairie!

After supper, people headed down to the amphitheater for spiritual nourishment through confession and adoration led by Fr. Jacob Strand. The golden rays of sunlight shining down on the monstrance through the dark green pine boughs and grassy meadow beyond provided a radiant backdrop that extolled the glory of God as Jesus graced us through His presence in the Eucharist. It was humbling to see young and old alike gathered in such peace and reverence, connecting with our Lord in his stunning creation.

Campers were able to learn even more about God’s glorious creation that night as the Milwaukee Public Museum hosted a moth mania event! By hanging up sheets adorned with lights, people were able to observe and encounter all sorts of amazing moths that were drawn to the luminous area. After another campfire complete with singing and s’mores, families headed back to their campsites for a restful night’s sleep.

The campout concluded on Sunday with mass in the new Holy Family Chapel. Fr. Michael Joseph joined us as the celebrant, and we were graced with many great altar servers, musicians, and singers!

The campout was a weekend jam packed with blessings- we are so thankful for the many priests, musicians, cooks, volunteers and loving hearts who pitched in and participated to make it such a joyful, fabulous time! We are blessed to have such an incredible community of amazing people- it was truly a time to rejoice in the goodness of God, others, and the natural world around us!

Making a Home for Jesus at the CEC

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Laudato Si Project

An Amazing Summer: New Building Addition Grand Opening, Building Blessing, National Eucharistic Procession at the CEC and Chapel Dedication Mass with the Bishop!!

The Lord continues to richly bless the ministry of the Catholic Ecology Center! When we say yes to the Holy Spirit, hold on tight because God will use you in amazing and unexpected ways. It would be an understatement to say that the last 3 and a half years of the Catholic Ecology Center has been incredible. With our humble beginnings purchasing a Girl Scout Camp in 2021, to over 7000 people visiting the CEC in 2023, it has been amazing to see all the ways our mission is connecting to Christ and His creation and making a home for Jesus at the CEC.

National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Stops at the CEC

It was truly an honor to have the CEC as a stop in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. Prior to their stop at Holy Hill, the Eucharistic van and perpetual pilgrims arrived at the CEC shortly after noon. Over 200 faithful pilgrims awaited Jesus’ arrival. We began with adoration in our new Holy Family Chapel followed by a procession through the beautiful prairie lined road that meanders its way through the CEC property. This procession ended at our amphitheater where we enjoyed a Holy Hour of Adoration accompanied by the singing of the faithful but also that of the birds! Adoration was followed by benediction and procession back to the main CEC building saying the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Grand Opening Celebration and New Building Blessing

We completed our 3500 square foot building addition in June and held a weekend of open house celebrations that included a blessing of the building. Nearly 300 hundred people attended that weekend to tour the new facilities which include the Holy Family Chapel, Welcome Area, Frassati Breakout Room and Outdoor Viewing Deck. Attendees learned about our focus on sustainability within the building’s energy, water conservation and building materials. They also learned the rich history of the statuary, stained glass and paintings that reside in our Chapel. Thanks to Father Michael Joseph for doing our building blessing and Andy Gilicinski of Charism Photography, LLC for his photography. More about our building addition grand opening and blessing can be found in the Catholic Herald Article HERE

Holy Family Chapel Dedication and Consecration of the Altar

Bishop Schuerman came to the Catholic Ecology Center to bless and dedicate our new Holy Family Chapel, as well as, consecrate the new altar. If you have never been to a new Church dedication, it is truly a special ritual with profound spiritual richness not found elsewhere. We are humbled by all the generous people who made this building a reality and are excited to see how the Holy Spirit will continue to use our ministry and this new Chapel to draw souls closer to Him.

As Bishop Schuerman remarked in his homily, “The Catholic Ecology Center is truly a sacred place.”

A Time of Refinement

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Laudato Si Project

It’s that time of year again! The time where the sunlight begins to linger in the golden evening, the breezes carry a hint of warmth, and the ground starts to soften ever so slightly. Spring is definitely making its presence known bit by bit, but no matter what the groundhog tells you, winter isn’t ready to loosen its grip just yet!

It’s easy to laugh and shake our heads at the craziness of midwest weather: going from cold to warm to cold again, but actually, the natural tug-of-war between winter and spring where the days grow warm and the nights dip back below freezing facilitate the perfect weather for a great sap run!

Just as we have vascular tissue in our bodies like arteries and veins that carry blood, trees also have vascular tissue! Instead of blood though, their tissues carry sap. Sap is a liquid that is mostly water, but also contains sugar which provides energy for the tree. The tree is in particular need of energy in early spring as it needs to grow new leaves after shedding them in the fall. Sap brings sugar, and sugar brings energy to the emerging buds, and those in turn grow into new leaves which will make sugar via photosynthesis for the next cycle of sap! It’s all one continuous cycle!

But why does the sap flow during these fickle temperature swings? Well, the warmer temperatures in the day create a positive pressure in the tree. The buildup of pressure gets the sap moving so that when there is a hole in the tree, the sap will naturally run out to an area of lower pressure. At night though, as the temperature drops, the tree develops a negative pressure system. This negative pressure forms a natural suction preventing the sap from leaving the tree. Simultaneously, the negative pressure system pulls water down to the tree’s roots where it can help replenish the sap supply.

This cycle of flowing and slowing, rushing and waiting, will occur in the tree until temperatures remain above freezing. Then, the sap run is over and the tree works to turn those little buds into the broad leaves that will harvest the sun to make sugar for the next year’s supply of sap!

It’s pretty incredible the way the tree uses its sap in its own closed system, but it’s downright remarkable to see what a gift it can be for us too! Humans have been collecting sap for hundreds of years. Early Native Americans and settlers used tools like wooden spiles and birchbark baskets to harvest the sap, but oftentimes today the tools look a little bit different.

We harvested sap just earlier this week with our Faith Journeys students, and they did a great job! After walking out to the silver maple by the Ecology Yurt, we looked for a spot to tap: fairly low to the ground while not on the same vertical line as previous years taps and hopefully under a branch where there would naturally be good sap flow. We found a spot and used a power drill to make a hole at a slight upward angle, encouraging the flow down through the spile. WHiiiirrr! The students giggled as small curls of sawdust burst out from the drill bit! After that it didn’t take long! Gasps filled the air as sap started to trickle and dribble out of our new hole. We quickly put a spile, a tapered conical spout, into the hole to help funnel the sap into the desired holding container. Students had a great time using the rubber mallet to pound the spile until it was secured snugly in place. After that, we connected the spile to the collection bucket either through hooking the metal bucket directly below the spile, or by threading a small hose from the spile into a bucket that rests on the ground. Finally, the students helped secure lids on the buckets. We aren’t the only ones who like sap! The lids not only keep out debris that could naturally fall into the bucket, but it also keeps out critters like squirrels and bugs who wouldn’t mind helping themselves to the sweet treat! Then it’s time to be patient as the trees drip and drop and spill their sap into the buckets!

It’s not over yet though, in fact, it’s just the beginning! Once the sap is harvested, it needs to be refined before it becomes the delicious syrup we pour on our pancakes and waffles! A glorious way to spend a chilly spring day is to help out at the sugar shack! Here at our CEC pond pavilion sugar shack, we have multiple u-shaped cinder block “stoves” where vats of sap can rest above a glowing hot fire. The sap will boil and and bubble while the water evaporates, leaving a sweeter, more condensed liquid behind. Sap is naturally about 2-5% sugar, but in order to be considered syrup it must have a sugar content of at least 66%! As the liquid bubbles, more sap is added so it won’t burn. Over time, the steam slowly starts smelling sweeter and more mapeley, and the color turns from blonde to russet to a rich amber as the sugars caramelize and the sap becomes syrup! For good measure, the syrup is tested with a tool called a hydrometer that helps determine if the sugar concentration has reached the desired 66%.

Between the stirring of sap and taste testing sips of the sweet liquid, cupping your hands around a warm mug, the cheery crackle of the fire, and of course the company and laughter of friends who are there to help, maple syruping is a delightful time!

It also seems quite fitting that oftentimes the timing of the sap run and the syrup boil coincide with Lent. We recently ran a program where we brought a 4th grade class out to our property and taught them about maple syruping and had them tap some of our trees. The day ended with the Examen prayer. The examen is a spiritual exercise from St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. The prayer is broken down into a few different parts and provides a step-by-step guided way to pray through your day- to recognize God’s presence, discern where He might be calling you, ask what He desires for you, and to make a sincere effort to grow and follow His call. In a sense, it allows us to stop and distill our busy day, to recognize God’s presence, and acknowledge ways that we can grow and change our ways to live a sweeter, more holy life.

It’s quite beautiful because just as the maple tree has all of the components for syrup running through it, it takes a bit of cultivation with the boiling process to refine and create the sweet goodness of maple syrup. Similarly, we each have all of the necessary components to live a rich life full of potent goodness, but this doesn’t necessarily happen by accident- it is something that is cultivated. This lent we invite you to enter into a time of cultivation and refinement. What better time to slow down, reflect, and be intentional about taking time for prayer and God? Have a blessed Lent, we hope it’s your sweetest one yet!

Want to know more about the examen? Feel free to try our guided version HERE

examen-journal-doc Download

Want to join us for maple syruping? We’d love to have you! To register for our event on Sat March 16th, click HERE.

2023: A Year in Review

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Laudato Si Project

The ushering in of a new year provides a great opportunity to slow down, reflect, and take time to be thankful for the many blessings of the past year. Here at the CEC we have SO many things to be grateful for! 2023 was a year of much grace, joy, and growth. While we can never totally capture all of the life that abounds here, enjoy a brief recap of some of the amazing happenings here at the Catholic Ecology Center!

Ecology Programs

“The initial step for us all to come to the knowledge of God is contemplation of nature.”
– St. Irenaeus of Lyons

This year’s ecology programming covered all ends of the earth! In March we hosted our Bug Bonanza showcasing all sorts of incredible creatures from large rhinoceros beetles, to beautiful iridescent butterflies, and walking sticks that are over a foot long from thorax to antennae! But don’t worry- we spent plenty of time loving the land right here too! With owl prowls, maple syrupin’, water quality testing, pond studies, and wildlife monitoring, and more school groups, homeschool science classes, volunteers, and the general public all were welcomed to learn more about this amazing common home of ours!

Retreats

“Contemplative prayer in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.”
– St. Teresa of Avila

We know that our relationship with God is of the utmost importance- it permeates all our other relationships: with others, with the world around us, even with ourselves! It’s so important to nourish that relationship and take special time for God- to bask in the quiet, to become aware of His loving presence, and to challenge ourselves to grow ever closer to Him and what He desires for us. It is such an honor and beautiful responsibility then, to offer retreats that provide people the opportunity to come to know God ever more deeply. This year we were able to journey alongside teens as they prepared for the sacrament of confirmation, adults as they readied themselves for RCIA, school staff as they anticipated the school year, students as they celebrated the community of their classrooms, and many other holy men and women as they entered into the liturgical season with our various Lent, Advent, St. Francis Day retreats and more!

Stewardship

“The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.“
-Genesis 2:15

The dedication of our tireless volunteers is matched only by their joy! This year we had over 1500 volunteer hours logged as people shared their time and talent through all sorts of avenues including but not limited to: cleaning the chicken coop, gathering seeds, sewing wonderful new tablecloths, taking care of our critters, maintaining the trails, and so much more! Thank you SO much for your cheerful giving!

Workshops

“If you work with your hands, you’re a laborer. If you work with your hands and your mind, you’re a craftsman. If you work with your hands and your mind and your heart, you’re an artist.“
– St. Francis of Assisi

This year the CEC provided many opportunities for laborers, craftsmen, and artists alike! Folks were able to spend time honing their drawing skills through wildlife art classes, or create their own natural paint with foraged ink classes. Many had the chance to become familiar with the property and our Wisconsin natives ecosystems as they foraged for wild edibles, collected mushrooms, and learned how to make tasty drinks from foraged plants. Plenty of women enjoyed faith, fun and fellowship with our ever popular advent wreath making class, and keep your eyes peeled for our newest workshop addition- chocolate making, where you can learn about sustainable cocoa production, make some tasty treats and of course sample along the way!

Building Addition

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.“
2 Corinthians 9:6

God has been so good to us, and so have so many of you! Thank you for helping us reap generously! We are SO excited for our new building addition and ever so grateful for the generosity of many who are making it happen! It has been so exciting to see the many stages of progress along the way- from excavation, to foundation pouring, framing and more! It really is taking shape and the new observation deck, breakout room, welcome center and most importantly, chapel, will allow us to better serve the Lord and you! Caring for creation and living sustainably are at the heart of what we do here at the CEC, but they are also literally within the walls and materials of this new building! To learn more about the amazing green features of our addition, check out the blogpost HERE. Could God be calling you to help us grow? Click HERE for ways to help us achieve this amazing goal!

Fellowship

“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring one another.“
– Romans 12:10

Spending time and delighting in the presence of our CEC family is a highlight of the year for sure! Our annual CEC campout this summer brought many smiles, smores, and saints in the making to our grounds! We had so much fun at our St. Francis Feast Day celebration with the petting zoo, pumpkin painting, and ax throwing too! And who can forget the beautiful candlelight hikes?! Singing carols and gathering around the fire with loved ones makes us feel warm even during these cold winter months! There are so many fond memories to look back on, and so many good things to look forward to in this new year!

By the Numbers

Schools, Parishes and Organizations Served: 57
Educational Hours Taught: 645
Service Hours Completed: 1,548
Monarch Butterflies released: 99

Thank you for a GREAT 2023, we CANNOT WAIT to make more memories with you in 2024!

A True Sense of Joy in Giving

Posted on November 22, 2023November 22, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

As the weeks rush towards the holiday seasons, we tend to lose focus of the ultimate source and purpose behind these joyous occasions. Thanksgiving comes and goes, and soon Black Friday – with its flashy promises of finding the “best deals” or the “biggest sales” – quickly consumes our attention. Then in a flurry we are suddenly trying to purchase all the gifts we need for the Christmas season and end up spending the Advent Season scrolling for the “best” gifts of this year…

In the spirit of ecological spending, this year – instead of only thinking about how much we give or how much we spend – perhaps we should pause and reflect on how we give in general. Ironically, even if we know to give to others in the season of giving, we still give in a consuming way and often thoughtlessly contribute to the “throw away” culture of our times. But do we give of ourselves? How much are we willing to give of our time and talents?

The mysterious gift of the Incarnation aids in better understanding the gift of relationship and what that means for our lives – at Christmas God gave us His only Son Jesus Christ and through this mystery God Himself humbly enters the world amidst a resounding hymn of joy from all of Creation. “And Heaven and Nature sing…while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy” – it is not without reason that one of our most popular Christmas hymns includes these lines of praise. This truly is the turning point for all of nature and all of mankind. Caryll Houselander, a mystic and Christian writer from the 20th century, puts it well in her work titled The Reed of God where she writes “the sense of joy in anything is the sense of Christ”. And ultimately the one thing Christ most wants to give us is Himself – in prayer, yes, – but most deeply in the Eucharist. Christ yearns for a relationship with each one of us and most especially at this time when He became man and joined the human race.

Yet this humbling reality ought not to dissuade us from gift giving – on the contrary, it should challenge us to give more by giving better; by giving less “stuff” and more of ourselves. Here are some tips for giving in the generous and simple spirit of Christ this Christmas:

Give something handmade. Even with a few mistakes, handmade gifts often mean the most. The time and talent it takes to make a meaningful gift for someone shows how much careful thought and intention went into the gift itself. A piece of the artist is in every piece of his art.

Give an experience instead of material things. Some people don’t need more “stuff”, but would love a new experience or a day doing something they already enjoy. A state park pass can be a gift that lasts all year. Museum and art gallery passes/memberships, cooking classes, and local cuisine tours are also great gift ideas.

If there is a gift you are shopping for, keep in mind how to respect creation in your purchasing options. Shopping locally not only helps local businesses and economies, but also reduces the impact these products may have on the environment. In addition, researching ethically sourced products (such as shade-grown coffee vs sun-grown coffee) can even have positive global impacts!

One of our most precious things in today’s fast-paced world is time – which is what makes this commodity such an immense gift as well! Arranging a coffee date with a coworker or spending a day with a loved one can be great meaningful gifts and in fact is a gift that gives back in the time well spent with the other person.

This Christmas let us rejoice at the coming of the Saviour and “make room” in our hearts not for more “great deals” or “big sales” but instead for the Person of Christ found in all those around us. For, again in the words of Houselander,

“Christ asks for a home in your soul, where he can be at rest with you, where he can talk easily to you, where you and He, alone together, can laugh and be silent and be delighted with one another.”

Building Sustainably

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

Integrating the riches of our Catholic faith with a call to care for creation

We are absolutely thrilled to be in the process of adding our 3500 sq ft building addition; The Wayne and Donna Neu Building. This addition allows us more spaces to meet our current demand while enabling us to grow well into the future. This addition includes the Holy Family Chapel, Frassati Breakout Room, Welcome Area, Outdoor Viewing Deck and full handicap accessibility. Within this new addition, we wanted to capture our unique mission of integrating the richness of our Catholic faith with stained glass windows, statuary and religious artwork but couple it with sustainability features including renewable energy, water conservation, locally sourced products and reclaimed materials. We want to thank the many people who are making this addition and our mission possible. If you would like to give, please visit us HERE.

Renewable Energy at the CEC

We are showcasing two major sources of renewable energy in our new addition, Geothermal Heating/Cooling and Solar Energy. These two energy sources eliminate the use of fossil fuels for the heating of the building and provide the electricity to run our lighting and the geothermal heat pumps to heat/cool our buildings.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Geothermal energy utilizes the constant temperature below ground to either bring heat into the building or dissipate heat from the building. We will have 18 geothermal tubing loops running 20 feet underground for a length of 250 feet; totaling 9000 feet of tubing! The special liquid inside the loops (Ethanol based) does the heat transfer that is required for maintaining the temperature desired in the building. The actually ductwork and control panel in the building is the same as you would have with traditional HVAC. We are utilizing this amazing renewable energy in our 3500 sq ft addition but also converting our existing 4000 sq ft building to it as well!!

Solar Energy

Solar technology has been around for decades and it has become more efficient and cost effective as time has gone on. We are installing a USA made 13.8 kW solar panel array on our new addition to power the electric needs of both the existing building and its new addition. This rooftop solar will produce roughly 85% of our electricity needs which will be coupled with energy efficient lighting and appliances. The energy produced on our roof in one year could power an electric car to drive from New York City to LA and back 10.5 times!!

Water Conservation

We are so very blessed to be in a “water-rich” state but that doesn’t give us the license to neglect our precious water resources. We wanted our new addition to showcase water conservation in a way that will empower visitors to change the way they think about and use water.

Green Roof

Our Green Roof utilizes modules that consist of a drought tolerant sedum that can absorb 70% of rainfall- draining 1700 sq ft of our roof. This roof also adds insulation value to that part of the building. Rainwater that is not intercepted by the green roof will make its way to our Pollinator Rain Garden that will capture the remainder of the rainfall.

Grey Water System

The term “grey water” refers to any water that has been used in a sink, laundry machine or shower. Although this water contains soaps and some dirt, a grey water system is designed to filter out these particulates and re-utilize this water for another, non-drinking use . In our grey water system, we will capture grey water from the bathroom sinks, bubbler and laundry machine to used in an irrigation system in our native pollinator rain garden. This ensures we are using water to its greatest potential before facilitating its return back into the groundwater. Another way we are maximizing water conservation is with dual-flush toilets (you can flush less for #1 and more for #2) and a waterless urinal.

Sustainable Materials

We are committed to using materials in our building addition that are made from recycled materials, reduce or eliminate indoor pollutants like VOC’s (volatile organic compounds), are sourced responsibly and are reclaimed/reused.

FSC Certified Lumber

Not all forestry practices are done responsibly or sustainably. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is a designation that ensures that the lumber you are purchasing is grown and harvested using the most environmentally sustainable forestry practices like selective logging vs clear cutting. This certification would be akin to the organic designation for food. It also ensures that the forestry practices used maintain high water quality, like reducing erosion, in adjacent waterways to where the forestry is taking place.

Wood Alternatives

We are able to highlight several types of products that are made from wood alternatives. Our reception desk countertop is made from pressed sunflower seeds. The front paneling on the reception desk is made from “hemp wood” which is a pressed hemp fiber product. The flooring in The Holy Family Chapel and Frassati Breakout Room is made from cork. Cork flooring is made from the bark of the cork tree and our flooring is made from both renewable and recycled cork bark. After the life of the flooring, 30+ years, the cork can be recycled or composted, as it 100% biodegradable.

Recycled Content Flooring

The carpeting in both our new addition and existing building is made from high recycled plastic content. To ensure indoor air quality, the flooring is also low VOC and the adhesives used to affix the carpet tiles are zero VOC compliant.

St Kateri Classroom flooring contains recycled plastic content equal to 5800 plastic water bottles!

Local Reclaimed Lumber

Our live edge benches inside the new addition vestibule and welcome area are made from dead ash trees cut from the CEC property and locally milled. The outdoor front entrance cross is made from a spruce tree that had to be removed for the new addition. Our gallery art wall in the corridor between the welcome area and Holy Family Chapel is made from trees removed from the Trinity Woods campus of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. This was during their building project for our partner Milwaukee Catholic Home.

Repurposed

The majority of all our furniture, shelving, and kitchen appliances in both the existing building and new addition have been reused and repurposed from various schools, parishes and other organizations. This also includes the many religious items and statuary that will be in our new Holy Family Chapel (we will showcase these in a future blog post).

Going Native

Beyond the 2.5 acres of our property that we planted in pollinator prairie, the landscape plantings around the new addition will also serve as both beautiful landscaping and a natural ecosystem function. The pollinator rain garden in front of the new building will be able to handle rainwater that is not captured by the green roof while also receiving irrigation water from our grey water system. Native prairie plantings and shrubs will surround our building, creating habitat and food sources for our many native birds, bugs and butterflies.

If you want to learn more about this exciting building project, you can read more or donate at https://catholicecologycenter.org/cec-building-addition

Chocolate Done Right

Posted on October 1, 2023September 8, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

Captain’s Chocolate & the Catholic Ecology Center

We want to highlight a local business just down the road from the Catholic Ecology Center called Captain’s Chocolate. We are excited about our new partnership that will allow us to educate people on sustainability, organic food and supporting small farms through fair trade practices. See our Events Page for our Chocolate Workshops for adults and kids.

Captain’s Chocolate began with an Alaskan Salmon Fisherman who wanted a warm winter. That led him eventually to building a house in the Costa Rican mountains where he met Joel Sanchez, a Louisiana missionary turned Costa Rican beef farmer. Being the kind of guys they are, they had both become involved with local life and the indigenous tribes. Seeing that the tribes were having a difficult time financially spurred Captain Mark to come up with the idea of starting a chocolate factory.

In the previous years, the local tribes had endured a fungus on their cacao trees that destroyed many orchards. At the same time, the local bean buyer slashed the price to well below market price. Getting their crop to market meant going down dangerous mountain roads in less-than-ideal conditions. In order to solve these challenges, Captain Mark purchased 10,000 seedlings for the tribes, distributing them to anyone who wanted to farm cacao. Once the trees started producing, Captain Mark started buying those beans, and currently pays the farmers well above fair trade prices (almost double!) To solve the issue of getting the beans to market, Captain Mark purchased a truck and started a pickup route, so that the farmers don’t have to worry about delivery. Now, even the smallest farmer can sell beans to Captain’s Chocolate.

Wanting to have consistent high quality, Mark and Joel decided to build their own processing plant. Captain Mark purchased a piece of land containing an old restaurant foundation where he built the processing plant and an apartment for our employee, Robeen, and his family. When the processing plant was built, the real work began. Joel and Mark worked long grueling hours building all of the necessary equipment, such as drying sheds, fermenting boxes, and our own bean roaster.

During this time, Mark’s sister Sarah heard about the chocolate project and joined the team. Sarah started work on the current chocolate production facility and retail store in the heart of the Wisconsin countryside. Using the nibs from Costa Rica Sarah creates the chocolate and handles the retail and wholesale selling side of Captain’s. Between the production facility in Costa Rica and the one in Wisconsin, our chocolate is created entirely by Captain’s Chocolate. This is truly single source, bean to bar, and farm to table chocolate.

One of the goals of Captain’s Cocoa is to give the Indigenous an opportunity to move out of the poverty level into a higher social class where they can give themselves and their children a better future. Talking to them quickly reveals they want to give their families a steadier and reliable income. One of the ways we accomplish this is buying their beans at over double the current price they are paid from the other corporation. This encourages the Indigenous to really work their plantations to get the maximum production so they will be able to earn more money. Respecting and treating others fairly creates a great working environment. This business has allowed us to build strong relationships with the Indigenous and has allowed us to get to know and experience a different culture while building relationships.

What is the difference between Cacao and Cocoa?

Cocoa beans and cacao beans are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference between the two. Cacao is the purest form of chocolate and refers to the plant species, Theobroma cacao, from which chocolate is made. Cocoa, on the other hand, is the term used for the processed and roasted beans used in the production of chocolate and other cocoa-based products.

What are Cacao Beans?

Cacao beans are harvested from the Theobroma cacao tree, which grows in tropical regions, primarily in South America, Africa, and Asia. The beans are removed from the pod and fermented, a process that develops the chocolate flavor and reduces bitterness. After fermentation, the beans are dried and then roasted to further develop the flavor. These beans are then referred to as cocoa beans.

What are Cocoa Beans?

Cocoa beans are processed to produce chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder. The beans are roasted at a higher temperature than cacao beans, and the outer shell is removed, leaving behind the nib, which is ground into a paste to make chocolate. Cocoa powder is produced by pressing the chocolate liquor to remove most of the cocoa butter, resulting in a fine powder.

Cacao is Pre-Process; Cocoa is Post-Process

In summary, cacao refers to the plant species, while cocoa refers to the roasted and processed beans. Both cacao and cocoa are essential ingredients in the production of chocolate and other cocoa-based products, and their unique flavors and properties are highly valued by chocolatiers and consumers alike.

Visit their website to purchase some amazing organic chocolate; Captains Chocolate

Join us for one of our Chocolate Workshops https://catholicecologycenter.org/events

Catholic Clergy Scientists

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

With the school year starting back up, it’s an exciting time here at the Catholic Ecology center- staff retreats, field trips, Faith Journeys homeschool classes, and so much more! It’s also a great reminder that we are all lifelong learners- there is so much to discover in this wondrous world! St. John Paul II wrote in his encyclical, Fides et Ratio: “ Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves”. The following men and women are wonderful examples of those who display great faith in the service of the Church, as well as employing their reason to come and know God more fully through the natural world. Enjoy this introduction to some amazing Catholic clergy members who are also amazing scientists!

Deacon Pierre André Latreille

Pierre André Latreille, was born in France in 1762. As a Catholic deacon during the French Revolution, he refused to pledge allegiance to France, resulting in the army throwing him in prison. While in prison, he noticed a rare beetle on his cell’s floor and communicated this important discovery to a doctor he was in contact with. Eventually, word got out and a famous naturalist was so impressed that he convinced the government to release Pierre!

Pierre observed and worked with all sorts of bugs throughout his lifetime. He is well regarded to this day for his classification system of arthropods. He published many writings on new species, while also providing classification for the organisms. He was referred to as the “Prince of Entomologists ” and is a great example of appreciating all creatures big or small!

Sisters of Immaculate Health

Have you ever heard of an axolotl? They are small freshwater salamanders like the one pictured above, with feathery gills, wide eyes, and a mouth that almost looks to be smiling! In addition to being adorable, the specific species seen in the picture lives only in one lake in northern Mexico where they are endangered. Scientists were concerned about this vanishing amphibian, but luckily these creatures are blessed with some amazing caretakers!

Nearby Dominican sisters have long been familiar with this special axolotl they refer to as achoques. For years, the sisters have used the salamander to make a special syrup that helps those suffering from coughs, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. When the sisters noticed the achoque numbers dwindling, they started to take care of them in a special way by bringing some to the convent. Eventually, the numbers of achoques grew as did the sisters’ biological knowledge of these amazing critters. To this day, there have been scientists and zoologists from all parts of the world that come and learn from the sisters and spend time in the convent that has rooms filled with tanks, lab supplies, and many incredible stewards of these amazing animals!

Fr. Giuseppe Mercalli

Fr. Mercalli was a priest who, while originally from Milan, was moved to serve in Naples, Italy in the 1800s. Naples is home to the infamous volcano Mt. Vesuvius. While there, Fr. Mercalli studied the volcano intently, keeping extremely detailed notes not just on the volcano, but on seismic activity (pulses of energy that come from the movement of earth’s plates like earthquakes) as well.

He is well known for creating the Mercalli Index, a scale that categorizes the intensity of earthquakes and seismic activity. He published many books on volcanoes and earthquakes alike, and was the head of the Mt. Vesuvius laboratory from 1911 until his death in 1914. His life reminds us that change can lead to incredible fruitfulness and to trust in God’s plan!

Fr. Henri Breuil

Fr. Breuil was born in France in 1877. He was ordained a priest when he was 23 years old. Shortly after at age 25, he was a part of the discovery of two caves containing prehistoric cave art. After that, he spent more than 60 years studying cave art all over the world, publishing the book Four Hundred Centuries of Cave Art which contained detailed drawings and paintings of over 90 caves around the world. He estimated that in his lifetime he spent over 7 years in caves!

In addition to his spelunking (the exploration of caves), he was a professor of Archaeology in France for nearly 40 years, and awarded a medal from the U.S. National Academy of scientists. Fr. Breuil demonstrates how to appreciate the past and learn from the stories of those before us!

Mother Noella Marcellino

Mother Noella Marcellino is a nun of the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Connecticut- a cloistered, Benedictine community. A hallmark of Benedictine religious life is Ora et Labora: prayer and work. The abbey crafts several kinds of artisan goods that they sell to help sustain their community, one of these is cheese!

Mother Noella has her PhD in microbiology, and through the process learned more about the small microbe life that is used in the cheesemaking process. Microbes affect the color, flavor, and texture of cheese. Mother Noella has published papers on fungi, traveled around the world teaching others about cheese making techniques, and even has a documentary about her called The Cheese Nun!

She reflects: “When I look through a microscope, and see the wonder, I see God in those microorganisms. It puts you in touch with God’s creation. And for me, it also can be very sacred. The motto of Benedictines is: ‘Work and pray.’ And for us, our work is also a prayer.”

Fr. Giacomo Bresadola

As a priest, Fr. Giacomo Bresadola held many important positions including managing church estates, shepherding multiple parishes, and holding the title of vicar. However, right alongside all of his duties and pastoral responsibilities he continued to have a wonder and appreciation for the world of fungi. He wrote and published many works, drawings, and photographs of fungi, even naming a few! His collections are still used today in museums throughout the world. Just like a mycelial network, the thin, root-like threads of fungi, Fr. Bresadola was well connected with those in his parish, and community. Let us be reminded by his example to cultivate intentional relationships with those God puts in our lives!

Volunteer Spotlight; CEC Summer Intern Zach Stikel

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

Zach Stikel, a current junior at St. Louis University, has been connected to the CEC since its beginning in 2021. Zach was a high school student in 2021 at Marquette University High School (MUHS) and taking an environmental science course taught by CEC executive director Joe Meyer. One week after the CEC was established in March of 2021, Zach came to the property to do some ecological monitoring as part of the environmental science class. Student’s caught macro invertebrates, set fish live traps and recorded plant species present on the property.

In April of 2021, 50 seniors from MUHS came to the CEC as part of their Senior Shared Life service experience. Zach and his classmates spent each day for a whole week at the CEC helping transform the CEC property from a Girl Scout Camp (Camp Winding River) into it’s new mission as the Catholic Ecology Center. Project’s included planting several hundred trees, removing old infrastructure, cutting hazard trees, repairing boardwalks and more. The impact of the newly formed mission of the CEC made an impression on Zach that would bring in back in 2023.

In late winter of 2023, CEC executive director Joe Meyer received a text message from Zach saying that he is currently studying abroad in Spain but would like to be an intern at the CEC for the summer when he returns. Zach is studying environmental science, Catholic studies and Spanish in college and wanted to have more experiences in the field connecting his faith, love for ecology and education.

“It was my experience at the CEC during my senior year that really gave me a desire to come back and help this faith-filled mission.”
Zach Stikel

Zach came in mid-May and jumped right in to the CEC’s growing ministry. On his first day, he was helping CEC staff run a middle school retreat for Milwaukee’s Notre Dame Middle School students. The students were shocked when Zach spoke in Spanish during a team building challenge, as Notre Dame Middle School is over 90% hispanic. During his internship, he has become a “Zach of all trades” doing everything from cleaning the buildings to leading canoeing groups down the Rubicon River.

We thank God for Zach’s willingness to share his faith and passion for ecology with the CEC!!

The CEC Turns 2 Years Old!!

Posted on March 13, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

A Reflection from our Executive Director, Joe Meyer

It’s hard to believe that just 2 years ago the Catholic Ecology Center officially began. Of course, it was three years prior to that the original visioning of a place called the Catholic Ecology Center began. Not to mention multiple attempts at land deals and constant fundraising and all the while trying to trust that God is in control. Talk about a lessen in faith and humility!

A Conduit to Christ

It’s humbling to watch God use our ministry to strengthen the faith of so many. The success and growth of our mission is testament to the need for God in all aspects of our lives. As St. Augustine said, “Our hearts our restless until they rest in thee!” People are hungry for Christ and desiring to bring their faith to a deeper level. We seek to foster that growth in our retreats, ecology programs, events, workshops and service projects.

We founded our mission on the premise that God’s creation can draw people into relationship with Him. Wisdom 13 tells us “For from the greatness and beauty of created things, their original author, by analogy, is seen.” We don’t stop there though. It’s critical to use this universal call within us to unite us in fellowship with one another and strengthen our desire to care for our common home.

A Beacon of Hope

With so many challenges facing our world, it’s more critical than ever that we are firmly rooted in our faith. Though we journey through difficult times, as our current Lenten journey shows us, we are ultimately an Easter people- a people of hope and joy. One of the most common things people comment when they first come to a retreat, event or program at the CEC is that they feel such a great energy in this place. This is not some new age “energy” they speak of, it’s the Holy Spirit alive and at work!

Where Do We Go From Here?

Our work is just beginning. We are thrilled to announce our plans to expand the CEC’s mission through expanding our physical spaces. God willing and with your support- we will break ground on a building addition this fall that will include a chapel, welcome area, breakout room and viewing deck- all with handicap accessibility! By using sustainable building products, renewable energy and water conservation, it will enable us to educate people first-hand on bringing sustainability into their lives.

Learn more about our plans HERE

The CEC creates a place for youth and families to experience the quiet found in nature and learn about the beauty of creation and how to live more sustainably.
Archbishop Jerome Listeki

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Read all about us in our 2022 Impact Report

Stewardship at the CEC: Caring for Our Common Home

Posted on February 23, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

Service Projects

As people of the Gospel, we are certainly called to social justice and environmental stewardship but it is imperative that this response be firmly rooted in our love for Jesus Christ. It is from this love that will flow our desire to participate in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, including caring for our common home. Service projects are a fun and tangible way to live our faith that is called into service. These projects are also an avenue to involve people beyond our ministry with youth, engaging both adults and families. These projects are also great reminder that we are called to care for creation in whatever context we find ourselves.

My service project at the CEC made me recognize our need for God and our role as stewards for the next generation.
Megan; High School Student and CEC Retreat Participant

Restoration and Faith

Stewardship also calls us to better the ecological state of the CEC property we have been blessed with. We also strive to incorporate the richness of our faith throughout the property. Since our beginning in 2021, we have accomplished this by creating 2.5 acres of pollinator prairie, planting an Educational Butterfly Garden, a Children’s Memorial Garden, the Lasnoski Family Stations of the Cross, and JPII Butterfly Gardens. We have also planted hundreds of native trees on the land and seeded 15.5 acres of pollinator prairie for a neighboring property!

Ecological Monitoring

Part of our role as stewards at the CEC is to monitor the wild species and the health of the ecosystems on-site. We monitor bats with an ultrasonic microphone tower, do bird surveys, insect collecting and water quality monitoring. We also use “camera traps” to see what animals are using the property, especially at night. In 2021, we confirmed the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee, only the second time it was seen in Dodge County. In 2022, we documented the first county record for the harvester butterfly which is the only butterfly to have a carnivorous caterpillar!

CEC Property Lists (as of February 2023)

6 of the 8 Species of Wisconsin Bat, including the endangered long-eared bat.
132 species of bird seen
38 species of butterfly

Winter Reading – Bringing Nature to Life at Home

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

The bustling summer months and the flurry of fall colors have come and gone, but the glories of a Wisconsin winter are upon us! This January, much of nature has taken a quiet rest under the snowy drifts and cold winds of winter, but the great outdoors still has delightful wonders in store for those willing to brave the cold – especially here at the Catholic Ecology Center (CEC) where snowbirds – cardinals, shrikes, and winter wrens – can be spotted amongst the trees and prairie grasses, while rabbit tracks scurry along the trails and roads, and signs of otter life frequent the banks of the creek and river.

But if the cold and snow deter you from venturing outside, there is a warmer, cozier alternative. Storybooks can bring nature to life in your living room. Here at the CEC, we have gathered, and continue to gather, an extensive collection of nature and ecology themed children’s books for our various programs and for visitors to enjoy on trips to the CEC. We have corralled a wide array of fantastic writers and illustrators who help bring a sense of wonder and delight of the natural world to all ages….

Here are some of our favorites from this past year:

A Seed is Sleepy – Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long collaborate with their rich talents to bring to life the tiny world of seeds. Sure to inspire hope for spring during the long, cold months of winter, this book is one of many that Aston and Long have crafted together. Other titles include A Rock is Lively, A Butterfly is Patient, A Nest is Noisy.

Over and Under the Pond, by Kate Messner and illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal, follows a canoe journey of a mother and son. As they glide across a pond, they wonder at and imagine the world below, above, and around them. With up-close illustrations and a detailed list at the back of the book of all the creatures seen by mother and son, this book will inspire wonder and delight in children and adults alike.

For all honey lovers, Honeybee Man is sure to become a favorite. With collage drawings and charming text, illustrator Kyrsten Brooker and author Lela Nargi recount a summer month in Brooklyn, New York with Fred, his beloved bees, and the sweet gift of honey.

Anna’s Table – Caldecott-winning author Eve Bunting inspires children everywhere to find the little treasures that nature has to offer. After collecting a bounty ranging from beach rocks to butterflies, Anna builds a beautiful ecological exhibition – right in her own bedroom. Written in simple verse and bursting with colorful art from illustrator Taia Morley, this book is a must-have for all nature lovers.

Venturing into a cold, dark forest can be frightening – but in Owl Moon by Jane Yolen with illustrations by John Schoenherr, the beauty and wonder of the woods at night come to life. In first-person narrative, a young girl recounts the quiet stillness of the forest and fields as she and her father venture out into the winter moonlight hoping to catch sight of an elusive owl.

Sun Bread – Charming illustrations and whimsical text by writer and illustrator Elisa Kleven bring to life the story of a baker in the middle of winter and her quest to coax back the sunshine with delicious, warm bread. Amid the wintery cold and darkness, homemade bread not only brings the sun out but induces friends and neighbors to join the fun! The last page of the story offers a recipe for young aspiring bakers to try their hand at Sun Bread.

Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by Richard Jones- What does a fox do in winter? A young fox asks himself this question as the first snowflake settles on his nose. Going from neighbor to neighbor, inquiring what he is to do, the fox is stumped – he doesn’t like mud like the turtle and is not at all sleepy like the bear. Eventually finding a wise friend, he goes about doing what foxes do best in winter.

The Beauty Found Beneath Our Feet

Posted on December 8, 2022December 8, 2022 by Laudato Si Project

By Jody C. Benson

When I am asked what ecology means, I often stumble because there are so many components that I want to talk about—from our relationship to God and our neighbor to our relationship to land, food, and our bodies. But what I think is the most interesting part of ecology is beauty.

St. Augustine explains the relationship between nature’s beauty and God:

Question the beauty of the earth, question the beauty of the sea, question the beauty of the air distending and diffusing itself, question the beauty of the sky. . . . Question all these realities. All respond: “See, we are beautiful.” Their beauty is a profession. These beauties are subject to change. Who made them if not the Beautiful One who is not subject to change?(Sermons 241, Easter)

Nature professes its beauty, inviting us to attend to what is meaningful and good. Beauty was the impetus that led me to create Behold: A Reflection Journal Where Wonder, Creation, and Stewardship Meet (Available for purchase at the CEC or online HERE). I was also fascinated by the saints and their wonder and devotion to beauty. How did they come to see with such a sense of the sacred? Could beauty and wonder be the first step to social justice? I’ve found the answer to be “yes,” as I practice the art of noticing and receive God’s gift of beauty in creation.

We are all familiar with the beauty of nature that is clear and obvious—a variegated sunrise or a lush garden. But sometimes the beauty of nature is also hidden. This is the beauty that sparked my interest in ecology, but it takes some learning to grasp and fully appreciate. Here are two of my favorite examples: fungi and dirt. Imagine walking through your favorite park or forest. We look around and above. We hear birds and breathe the crisp freshness of the air. But we rarely look down at what’s below. Beneath our feet there is a whole network of communication guided by a dense network of fungi. Through membrane branches, fungi enable communication and connection between plants and other parts of the ecosystem. This network, known as fungal mycelium, delivers nutrients, provides chemical signals, and exchanges information. You can learn all about this and experience it on a mushroom foraging adventure at the Catholic Ecology Center! (View Upcoming CEC Events HERE).

After participating in a CSA (community supported agriculture), I also became more interested in soil. We can’t think about eating well without understanding soil. Through regenerative and sustainable agriculture, farmers are trying to cultivate rich and healthy soil, which solves other problems in addition to food quality, like pollution drought, erosion, and climate change. As a farmer and writer, Wendell Berry has long been interested in the importance of dirt, not just for our food, but also for the sake of our communities and homes. In The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture, Berry writes, “The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community because without proper care for it we can have no life.” This is the beauty of ecology. It opens up a path for us to think about and connect God’s creation to the essence of the very relationships that sustain our life.

CEC Fall Mushroom Foraging Workshop
Homeschool Program
Visit to Clare Gardens Organic Farm at the CEC
Tree Science
Monarch’s in our Educational Butterfly Garden

When we were picking apples at a beautiful orchard last Fall, my husband wondered aloud: They must have really good soil here. After he said this, I thought about the hidden work behind these apples—the labor of the bees, soil, microbes, sun, water, and, of course, people. When we start to reflect on what is beneath us, we learn how to appreciate mystery and the beauty of God in all its forms and in every encounter. This is a perspective that changes who we are and how we interact with the world. As Pope Francis writes in Laudato Si’,

By learning to see and appreciate beauty, we learn to reject self-interested pragmatism. If someone has not learned to stop and admire something beautiful, we should not be surprised if he or she treats everything as an object to be used and abused without scruple. If we want to bring about deep change, we need to realize that certain mindsets really do influence our behavior. Our efforts at education will be inadequate and ineffectual unless we strive to promote a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature.
Laudato Si’, No. 215

A gaze of appreciation protects us from the power of consumerism that devastates our culture. Our consumer culture is grounded in a belief that things are to be used and discarded when they no longer serve their function or bring us pleasure. Nature resists this framework because it bespeaks beauty and points to the Creator. In his Hexameron homilies, St. Basil proclaims, “I want creation to penetrate you with so much admiration that wherever you go, the least plant may bring you a clear remembrance of the Creator. . . . One blade of grass or one speck of dust is enough to occupy your entire mind in beholding the art with which it has been made.” Let us nurture our sense of the beauty that is unseen, hidden, and beneath our feet.

-Jody C. Benson is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Behold: A Reflection Journal Where Wonder, Creation, and Stewardship Meet. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and children. Learn more at jodycbenson.com.

Winter Fun at the CEC

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Laudato Si Project

Recreation

Winter can be an amazing time to be outside! In Wisconsin, you can either embrace and enjoy the snow and colder temperatures or spend nearly 4 months in a bad mood. The Catholic Ecology Center is blest with miles of trails that can allow you to experience the subtle beauty of this time of year on snowshoes or cross-county skis. We have snowshoes and skis available for use at our main building and there is even free rental for members! During the months of January and February, we offer cross-country ski workshops open to public, so individuals and families can learn this fun way to experience Wisconsin winter.

Liturgical Year

The Church’s Liturgical Year also offers great opportunities to experience the rhythm of nature within our lives of faith. One great example is the expectant feel and quietness of Advent. Beyond our women’s Advent wreath workshop and Advent retreats, we also offer Advent candlelight walks. These events use a 3/4 mile candlelit trail that winds past our pond, creek and river- ending at our ecology yurt for an Advent prayer service with music, wreath lighting, bon-fire and yes-s’mores!! We also offer a Couple’s Valentines candlelight hike and blessing to cure you of your February cabin fever. Too see all our upcoming events, go to our events page at catholicecologycenter.org/events

Winter Ecology and Play

Winter also offers some amazing opportunities to learn about animal ecology. We love being able to offer outdoor winter science classes for school and organizations. These include animal tracking, winter ecology, water quality and plant science. And let’s not forget winter play-Making a snowman, coloring a snow angel or a nice snowball fight! Come on out and enjoy the Winter at the CEC.

Cold and chill, Bless the Lord; Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Daniel 3:67

See Upcoming Events HERE

Our Catholic Faith, Naturally

Posted on September 17, 2022 by Laudato Si Project

At the core of the Catholic Ecology Center’s mission is to integrate our faith into a love and care for the creation around us. There is infinite beauty and depth within the rich history and tradition of our faith and we attempt to bring that to our visitor’s experience on the CEC property.

We have worked hard over the last year and a half to create opportunities for prayer and contemplation right within the context of exploring the natural beauty of the CEC trails.

Stations of the Cross

The Lasnoski Family Stations of the Cross were installed in April of 2022. These beautiful bronzed statues are affixed to hand-made shrines crafted by local carpenter Mic Lacrosse. In line with our mission toward sustainability, Mic even used reclaimed lumber to create the shrines. This ancient practice of praying the Stations of the Cross became popular beginning in the Middle Ages when access to the actual sites in the Holy Land were not possible.

Our Stations of the Cross trail encircles the orchard hilltop and is about .1 miles long. You can view and download our property map HERE.

Children’s Memorial Garden

Located near the pond, this butterfly garden celebrates the beauty and dignity of all human life, especially children.

At its center stands a 14′ copper cross from 1956 donated by St. Bruno’s Parish in Dousman. It stood as a steeple cross on their old Church.

There are several boulders engraved with bible quotes and the garden is adorned with 350 native wildflowers! The final piece, coming this fall, is a stone engraved with the Divine Mercy image of Jesus.

Thanks to Ernie and Karen Meyer for their vision and sponsorship of this amazing addition to the CEC!

Trailside Shrines

Throughout the miles of hiking trails, we have placed various trailside shrines. They remind visitors to stop, contemplate and pray throughout their visit. These beautifully crafted shrines were made from reclaimed lumber and they house donated statues including the Pieta, Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Francis, St. Therese of Lisieux, Christ of the Ozarks, the 12 apostles, and other crucifixes.

We have even set up a scavenger hunt in our Activity Guide for visitors to find these trailside shrines. Pick up your copy of the Activity Guide at our main building.

Heavenly Butterfly Gardens

We have worked hard to not only beautify the CEC property but to also integrate ecologically valuable native pollinator plantings wherever possible. These include:

a 2.5 acre pollinator prairie planted along the main hiking trail. This also serves a vital role in encouraging native predatory insects to help control pests at our organic farm, Clare Gardens.
The Elizabeth and Andy Meier Educational Butterfly Garden which highlights 52 native species of wildflower with signage highlighting information about each species including the pollinators that rely on them. This butterfly garden was planted with over 2000 plants!
The Holy Hen House butterfly garden was planted by Nicholas Hoffman of Troop 49 as part of his Eagle Scout project.
Butterfly Gardens were also planted in front of our main building-our Mary Garden, and in front of JPII Hall-our St. Francis Garden.

These ecological endeavors are already bearing great fruit with the confirmed sighting of an endangered rusty patched bumble bee which is only the 2nd sighting in Dodge County! We have also confirmed 37 species of butterfly including the first county record of a Harvester (the only carnivorous butterfly caterpillar in North America).

See you at the CEC!

Sustainable Joy

Posted on July 21, 2022 by Laudato Si Project

Written by Barbara O’Brien; CEC Educator and Clare Gardens Farmer

June has swiftly turned to July and we find ourselves enjoying the fullness of summer life here at the Catholic Ecology Center (CEC). Butterflies, frogs, beavers, blossoming bergamot and yarrow, robber flies, and bluebirds – to name only a small portion of the wildlife abounding on the grounds of the CEC.

But there are other, less wild, kinds of life abounding as well – Clare Gardens is well underway with its first season at its new location at the CEC. Surrounded by prairie grass and woods, the gardens are flourishing with a plethora of fresh, delicious vegetables — and there’s plenty more to come as the season continues!

Last Thursday brought a visit from a group of residents from Trinity Woods, one of the several senior living homes to which we provide our harvests each week. Tom the driver along with other staff members joined the residents for a lunch in JPII Hall followed by a brief welcome from CEC’s Executive Director, Joe Meyer, and Clare Garden’s Farm Manager, Anna Metscher. With sun-hats on, we then set off on a tour of the Clare Garden fields, greenhouses and flower beds — and the Holy Hen House. The day was a fun occasion for both the residents and for us on the farm crew.

Farming is intrinsically connected to sustainability and calls us back to the command God gave our first parents in that first garden on earth. To be a good steward does not only mean growing and maintaining the fruit of your hands, but also sharing that fruit with our neighbors. Seeing these men and women who eat the food we labor to grow and harvest was a great gift. And, speaking for myself, it also gave new meaning and purpose to the sore muscles and long days in the sun. There truly is a special joy to be had in laboring for other’s benefit.

One aspect I love most about farming is how conducive it can be towards thoughtful reflection in the midst of work. Since starting here over a month ago, I have had many such moments for reflection. Surrounded by the natural beauty of the CEC and the ordered space of Clare Gardens, I have especially dwelled upon the wonder of creation and all the riches a farmer can cull from its storehouse of gifts. While there is a great deal of ingenuity, planning, and wisdom needed for any successful farm, there is also a certain trust and humility required in reckoning with forces greater than us. The same wonder I have in seeing the transformation of a caterpillar into a monarch butterfly follows me as I marvel at a tiny seed putting forth a bountiful harvest.

As summer carries on, let us pray that we have a successful season and that we are able to share the fruit of our labors with humility and trust. St. Isidore, patron of farmers, pray for us!

Litany in honor of St. Isidore the Farmer, patron of farmers & workers

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Isidore, pray for us.
St. Isidore, patron of farmers, pray for us.
St. Isidore, illustrious tiller of the soul, pray for us.
St. Isidore, model of laborers, pray for us.
St. Isidore, devoted to duty, pray for us.
St. Isidore, loaded down with the labors of the field, pray for us.
St. Isidore, model of filial piety, pray for us.
St. Isidore, support of family life, pray for us.
St. Isidore, confessor of the faith, pray for us.
St. Isidore, example of mortification, pray for us.
St. Isidore, assisted by angels, pray for us.
St. Isidore, possessor of the gift of miracles, pray for us.
St. Isidore, burning with lively faith, pray for us.
St. Isidore, zealous in prayer, pray for us.
St. Isidore, ardent lover of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
St. Isidore, lover of God’s earth, pray for us.
St. Isidore, lover of poverty, pray for us.
St. Isidore, lover of fellowmen, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most patient, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most humble, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most pure, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most just, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most obedient, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most faithful, pray for us.
St. Isidore, most grateful, pray for us.

Jesus, Our Lord: we beseech You, hear us.
That You would grant to protect all tillers of the soil: we beseech You, hear us.
That You would grant to bring to all a true knowledge of the stewardship of the land…
That You would grant to preserve and increase our fields and flocks…
That You would grant to give and preserve the fruits of the earth…
That You would grant to bless our fields…
That You would grant to preserve all rural pastors…
That You would grant peace and harmony in our homes…
That You would grant to lift up our hearts to You…

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.

From lightning and tempest: deliver us, O Lord.
From pestilence and floods…
From winds and drought…
From hail and storm…
From the scourge of insects…
From the spirit of selfishness…

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: have mercy on us, O Lord.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

Grant, O Lord, that through the intercession of Saint Isidore, the farmer, we may follow his example of patience and humility, and so walk faithfully in his footsteps so that, in the evening of life, we may be able to present to You an abundant harvest of good fruits, You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

To learn more about Clare Gardens or to volunteer, Click Here

Barbara O’Brien is the newest staff member at the Catholic Ecology Center. Barbara comes to the CEC from the east coast where she taught catechism in the South Bronx and most recently as a resident director at Thomas Aquinas College. She grew up in the driftless area of WI where she also worked on an organic farm. Barbara graduated from Thomas Aquinas College on the west coast with a degree in Liberal Arts. In addition to being an educator at the CEC, Barbara works at Clare Gardens, the organic farm on-site. She is excited to share her robust faith and love for God’s creation.

The CEC Turns 1 Year Old!

Posted on March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 by Laudato Si Project

A Reflection from Joe Meyer, Executive Director

For from the greatness and the beauty of created things
their original author, by analogy, is seen.
Wisdom 13:5

Lent is a reflective time and no better time to look back on the first year of the Catholic Ecology Center, a year so visible with God’s fingerprints on our ministry. Like any parent can attest to “It’s been a year already!” Yes, the founding of the Catholic Ecology Center happened 1 year ago today but its ambitious and bold vision integrating Faith and a love for creation started in the summer of 2018. In those years in between, there were tremendous high and lows with everything from fundraising to multiple land deals falling apart. As many of us have learned in the Christian life, God is trustworthy and His timing is perfect. We need to first empty our life of self-interest-submit our will to that of the Father’s-let the Holy Spirit take the reins and then HOLD ON TIGHT… because, let me tell you, you are in for the ride of a life time.

The mission of the Catholic Ecology Center (CEC) really begins with family. Certainly the family of our organization consisting of a unified and mission-focused board of directors and staff. But, at its core- the CEC begins with each family, each person, finding a home in the programs, events and community that the CEC offers. That is most tangible for me in my own family. Beginning the Catholic Ecology Center meant a new chapter for not just me but also my wife and kids. Through prayer and discernment, we recognized that God was calling us to something greater than ourselves- to a mission needed so desperately in our Church and world. This also meant great sacrifice.

In Lent, we talk about the pillars of Lent; prayer, fasting and almsgiving- and as any executive director worth their salt, let me talk about almsgiving:) In my family’s journey with the Catholic Ecology Center, we have found new meaning in giving of our time, talent and treasure. We all have likely heard this words during the stewardship or missionary appeals at Mass, but do we take them to heart. The CEC has enabled my family to find new meaning in these words and invest in things beyond this world and instead in things that build the Kingdom of God. Giving of our time to a ministry that creates time for God in the lives of so many. Giving of our talents, allowing people to have a greater wonder for God in the intricacy of ecology, art, prayer and community. Giving of our treasure in a direct and meaningful way, donating to the CEC’s mission to ensure this vital ministry continues to grow.

Of course, my family is not alone. I am humbled by the amazing partners, supporters, staff and volunteers that have answered this same call to something greater; to build Christ’s Church. May God continue to bless the ministry and mission of the Catholic Ecology Center, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, For the Greater Glory of God. Amen

If you haven’t yet, take a look through our 2021 Impact Report and JOIN US!

So by their fruits you will know them.
Matthew 7:20

Theophany and a New Year at the CEC

Posted on February 17, 2022February 17, 2022 by Laudato Si Project

On January 6th, the Eastern Catholic Churches celebrated the Great Feast of Theophany. On this day Catholics in Slavic countries dunked their heads in the newly blessed freezing cold water. In Greek Catholic communities young men dove into rivers and lakes and competed to find a cross which had been thrown in by the chief celebrant. This holy day is one of the original Great Feasts of the Church, dating back to the 2nd century; and in the East it is considered greater in eminence than Christmas. The name Theophany is taken from the Ancient Greek theophaneia, meaning “manifestation of the Godhead”. The feast commemorates Christ’s baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist. Theophany is a time of spiritual enlightenment, renewal of creation, and most importantly, the sanctification of water, which will then serve as a means of baptism for all Christians.

Looking to the words of The Great Blessing of Water, taken from the rites which surround the feast of Theophany, the emphasis on the renewal of creation becomes apparent:

“Today through the presence of the Lord, the waters of the river Jordan are changed into remedies

Today the whole universe is refreshed with mystical streams

Today the sins of the human race are blotted out by the waters of the river Jordan

Today paradise as been opened to all, and the Sun of Righteousness has shone upon us

Today, at the hands of Moses, the bitter water is changed into sweetness by the presence of the Lord!”

Christ by his incarnation gave new life and meaning to the whole of the material world. Not only did his very presence sanctify creation, but also elevated it as a means to sanctification. Much of this power which nature possesses to draw humans closer to their creator has become blurred by man’s misuse of it.

That is not to say that man is some plague which ought to be removed in order to allow the natural world to thrive. Rather, the natural world should serve as a pulley to draw mankind’s thoughts up to God. In short, nature should serve as a conduit to God.

How then are we to reconcile these two realities? Firstly, that nature in its nascent state was designed to lead men to Christ. And secondly, that humankind has in many ways disrupted its ability to do just that.

As Christians, our entire life’s goal can be summed up as “an imitation of Christ”. Here then we are brought back to the theme of Theophany. Christ’s presence turned the natural world into “a remedy”. He refreshed the universe, blotted out the sins of mankind, and thus opened the way to paradise. While we Christians cannot literally do that which Christ accomplished by his incarnation, baptism, death, and resurrection, we are called to imitate him by seeking to remedy the ways of man, and in doing so make the path of salvation more visible to others.

This has been the primary goal of the Catholic Ecology Center, that is, to “Connect [people] to Christ and His Creation”. In the past year alone, we have planted dozens of trees, a pollinator garden, and acres of prairie. There are new bluebird houses in every area, beehives, a chicken coop, a greenhouse, and hoop house, each lending to the effort of ethical stewardship. The old troop house is now a nature center. The paths which wind through the woods and interact with the creek and river have crosses and trailside shrines to help elevate the thoughts of each hiker. We have led and hosted dozens of retreats. The grounds also offer an opportunity for visitors to volunteer and give back. Before each addition to the property or new event, we ask ourselves “How will this help us to better accomplish our mission?”.

When our Executive Director, Joe Meyer, began the Laudato Sí project back in 2016, who could have foreseen that the fruits of his labors would manifest in the founding of the Catholic Ecology Center? On March 8th, the CEC will be celebrating its one year anniversary. This passage seems an appropriate meditation for reflection as we herald our second year at the CEC. The Theophanic spirit of restoration and renewal permeates every acre of the property that was once Camp Winding River.

By His baptism, Christ sanctified the waters; by His incarnation, He elevated all of creation; in imitation of Him we must work to preserve and restore that Edenic quality of our natural surroundings which brings mankind close to God. We are just getting started and the path of renewal takes much time and effort, but our hope is that the Catholic Ecology Center will serve as a small piece in realizing this Theophanic vision.

St. Barbara’s Day Wheat, December 4th

Posted on November 29, 2021December 8, 2021 by Laudato Si Project

The Catholic Church has a rich history of liturgical traditions which have largely been lost or confined to places with a strong local devotion to a particular saint or holy figure. These devotional practices serve to enrich our everyday lives with the cyclical life of the Church. How better to teach children about the saints than through hands-on activities which revitalize the stories of their lives? Rather than allowing these traditions to fade into the forgotten past, we should make them an everyday reality. Here then is the tradition of wheat for St. Barbara’s Day:

St. Barbara’s Day is celebrated on December 4th. Barbara, born in the third century in present day Lebanon, was the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus who kept her locked into a tower to preserve her from the suitors of the outside world. Unbeknownst to her father, Barbara converted to Christianity.

When Dioscorus found a rich suitor who he believed to be acceptable, Barbara refused to marry him, having consecrated herself to Christ. One day, upon returning from a long journey, Dioscurus found that Barbara had had a third window built into the tower in honor of the Holy Trinity. Seeing this her father drew his sword in anger, determined to kill his once beloved child. St. Barbara jumped out of her tower window and fled. Upon being captured she was tortured for days on end by means of switches, lashes, iron hooks, the rack, torches, red-hot pincers and hammers. But every morning her torturers would return to find her healed. In order to put an end to it all, her father claimed the honor of cutting off the head of his daughter who had scorned the gods. It is said that upon returning home, Dioscurus was struck by lightning.

From one of the details of this story, the tradition of St. Barbara’s Wheat was born. It is said that when fleeing persecution, Barbara ran through a newly planted field of wheat. As she ran, the wheat grew instantly covering her path and protecting her from those chasing her. And so, on December 4th, Catholics would plant wheat seeds in honor of St. Barbara. When the wheat had sprouted it would be used as decoration, either near the family nativity scene or on the Christmas table. In France and the Ukraine, the wheat seeds were planted in three small saucers to represent the Holy Trinity.

Legend has it that if the wheat germinates well and is prolific, the year’s harvest will be plentiful. There is a traditional saying in Provençal: “Quand lou blad vèn bèn, tout vèn bèn !”: If the wheat goes well, everything goes well!

How to plant St. Barbara’s Day Wheat:

Find a saucer or a plate with a lip.
Soak a piece of organic cotton in water.
Place the wet cotton in the saucer or plate.
Place the wheat seeds on top of the cotton.
Place them in a warm spot with indirect sunlight.

Catholic Ecology Center Celebrates its 6 Month Anniversary!

Posted on September 8, 2021November 29, 2023 by Laudato Si Project

It has been humbling to see our ministry grow over the last 5 years. From the simple beginnings of Laudato Si’ Project to the establishment of the Catholic Ecology Center, God’s fingerprints have been especially present in our work in recent years. On March 8th, 2021 we were able to purchase nearly 60 acres of amazingly diverse and beautiful property from the former Girl Scout Camp; Camp Winding River. Our property is also part of a 225-acre preserve complex thanks to adjacent land purchase of what is now Camp SIM. God’s providence also allowed for us to partner with Milwaukee Catholic Home’s Clare Gardens to grow organic produce on site to feed the senior living homes in Milwaukee and also educate people about living sustainably.

Our mission seeks to connect people of all ages and backgrounds to Christ and His Church utilizing the beauty and wonders of the natural world as a conduit to make this connection. Our programs are varied in nature and include retreats, ecology programs, service projects and recreational opportunities.

From March 8th, 2021-September 8th, 2021 We have:
* worked with over 2000 people of all ages
*logged over 2275 hours of stewardship service by over 250 different volunteers
*run 125 hours of educational programming including retreats and ecology programs
Laudato Si’ Mi Signore; Praise Be to you my Lord

Within the first few months after establishing the Catholic Ecology Center, it became very clear that the desire of schools, parishes and families for faith-filled, nature based programming was necessitating our hiring of a new staff member. In June of this year, we were honored to hire Theresa Liebert to become the Program Coordinator.

Theresa grew up in the driftless region of Wisconsin on a small hobby farm. She graduated from Wyoming Catholic College in Lander Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in the Liberal Arts. Before joining the Catholic Ecology Center, Theresa worked on an organic produce farm and as a CNA for five years. During her time in Wyoming she spent over 70 days in the back country and enjoyed many outdoor activities including rock climbing, white water kayaking, cross country skiing, canyoneering, caving, and backpacking. Theresa has always found beauty to be the transcendental which brings her closest to Christ. She hopes to share God’s first book with others through her work at the Catholic Ecology Center.

From the very beginning of our founding as Laudato Si’ Project and right through the present ministry of the Catholic Ecology Center, our mission is Christ focused and faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. This was exemplified when we held our formal CEC blessing and Mass in July. It was an amazing day beginning with a blessing of the Catholic Ecology Center by Bishop Schuerman of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and followed by fun, family activities, culminating with an outdoor Mass with the Bishop.

I want to thank the generous donors that have made this all possible. Without your support of the vision for the Catholic Ecology Center we would not exist today. I also want to thank all our members. Your membership support allows us to keep our doors open, trails accessible and mission and outreach increasing. Thank You!

Read more about who we are and what we do in these articles:

Scientist Saints

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Laudato Si Project

All Saints Day! - Catholic Daily Reflections

Often when we think about Saints, our minds are drawn to the more obvious candidates such as the great theologians, Doctors of the Church, and missionaries. When we think of great scientists and naturalists, people such as Newton, Galileo, Mari Curie, Darwin, John Muir and Aldo Leopold come to mind. But how often do we combine those ideas, that is, saint and scientist? It is a fairly well known fact amongst Catholics that in 1979, St. Pope John Paul II declared St. Francis of Assisi the patron Saint of those who promote ecology. However, very little is known about the more obscure Saints who were greatly involved in the study of nature and promoting its integral beauty.

In this secular age, which prizes science almost as a religion unto itself, little credit is given where it is due. Most do not know, or perhaps they ignore, the vast amount of information which the Catholic Church safeguarded and indeed, added to the scientific knowledge which we have today. During the Middle Ages, the preservation of philosophical and scientific texts were largely due to the copying of manuscripts which took place within the monasteries. Furthermore, the Medieval monasteries often contained extensive herb gardens. The monks would record their findings about the medicinal properties of plants in a text called a Materia Medica. Not only did the Church contribute greatly to scientific advancement during the Middle Ages, but also into our modern time.

We, as the Church militant, have an obligation to pray for the Church suffering, but so too should we acknowledge the great sacrifices and accomplishments of the Church triumphant. By elevating these holy souls to the status of saint, mother Church has given us a plethora of figures to emulate and call upon in our daily lives.

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Saint Ambrose

While Saint Ambrose is one of the four original doctors of the Catholic Church, he is also the patron saint of beekeepers and candlemakers. Legend has it that when he was a baby a swarm of bees landed on his face and left behind a single drop of honey. His father took this as a good omen, declaring that his son would grow up with the gift of a “honeyed tongue”. The prediction did indeed come to pass and St. Ambrose became an excellent writer and a persuasive orator.

Saint Ambrose, pray for us.

Feast day: December 7th.

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Saint Valentine

St. Valentine is, of course, the patron saint of love and happy marriages, but he is also one of Catholic Church’s other patrons of bee keepers. As a physician, St. Valentine would often use both beeswax and honey in his practice. Historically, bees have been associated with love, and so in St. Valentine we find the perfect marriage of bees and love. Calling upon the intercession of this great saint was thought to ensure a sweet harvest of honey and protection to those who care for bees.

St. Valentine, pray for us.

Feast day: February 14th

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Saint Isidore

Isidore was born in 1070 A.D. to a peasant family near Madrid, Spain. He often came later to work in the fields than other laborers because he would first attend Mass in the morning. Yet his work never suffered and he always met the chores required of him. It was said two angels, one on either side of Isidore, appeared and joined their pious companion in plowing the fields. St. Isidore is the patron saint of farmers.

St. Isidore, pray for us.

Feast Day: May 15th

Saint Fiacre

St. Fiacre has been recognized as patron saint of gardeners (as well as cab drivers and florists, among other things) since medieval times. Born in Ireland in the 7th century, Fiacre was raised in a monastery. During the Dark Ages, monasteries were repositories of learning, and it is here that Fiacre became a skillful user of healing herbs. As he earned fame for his knowledge of plants and healing abilities, disciples flocked to him. Fiacre sought more solitude and left Ireland for France where he established a hermitage in a wooded area near the Marne River. Here Fiacre built an oratory in honor of the Virgin Mary and a hospice where he received strangers. He himself retreated to a solitary cell, living a life of prayer and manual labor in his garden.

The legend upon which Fiacre’s sainthood rests is this: Fiacre asked the local bishop, Bishop Faro, for more ground on which to plant food and herbs. Faro told him he could have as much land as he could entrench in one day. After prayer, Fiacre used the point of his staff to turn the earth, topple trees and dig up briers and weeds to prepare the land for a garden.

St. Fiacre, pray for us.

Feast Day: August 11th

Saint Gall

Gall was born in Ireland and, after growing up, he became a monk. He traveled to preach the Gospel and help start new monasteries until he became ill and needed to stay in one place to heal and recover. Gall often spent time outside in nature reflecting and praying. Birds frequently kept him company during those times.

Gall miraculously performed an exorcism for a woman who was possessed by demons who hadn’t come out of her previously when two different bishops had tried to exorcise them. But when Gall tried to exorcise them, the demons flew out of Fridiburga’s mouth in the form of a black bird. That dramatic event inspired people to make Gall the patron saint of birds.

Gall encountered a bear in the forest near his monastery one day and stopped the bear from attacking him after it charged toward him. Then, the story goes, the bear went away for a while and returned later with some firewood it had apparently gathered, setting the wood down by Gall and his fellow monks. From that point on, the bear reportedly became a companion to Gall, showing up around the monastery regularly.

St. Gall, pray for us.

Feast Day: October 16th

Saint Hildegard of Bingen

Hildegard was born in 1098 to a noble family in the county of Sponheim, west of present-day Frankfurt. As a child she experienced visions of God, which she described as “living light.” She was given over to the care of a nun at the age of eight, who taught her to read and write, and by 14, she was a nun herself. When her mentor passed away in 1136, Hildegard was unanimously chosen to lead her Benedictine monastery.

In addition to running the monastery, Hildegard also devoted her time to writing musical compositions, poems and plays, as well as theological texts, medical books and scientific essays. She founded two monasteries, and extensively travelled around Germany on numerous speaking tours. All in all, Hildegard was a writer, composer, philosopher, mystic, visionary, and polymath of the High Middle Ages.She is one of the best-known composers of sacred monophony, as well as the most recorded in modern history. She has been considered by many in Europe to be the founder of scientific natural history in Germany. She is the patron saint of musicians and writers.

St. Hildegard, pray for us.

Feast Day: September 17th

Nature as a Conduit to Christ

Posted on August 27, 2020 by Laudato Si Project

Care for Creation program for St. Anthony pre-school in Milwaukee

One of the greatest challenges today is reigniting the faith of our youth. We are seening the result of poor catechesis, tepid Catholicism and the secular culture pushing in from every angle. This is coupled with the disintegration of how to understand faith’s relationship with ecology and the disconnect of how we are called to care for creation. So…what do we do? Laudato Si’ Project and the Catholic Ecology Center’s mission is born. We seek to deepen faith and foster a stewardship ethic through hands-on encounters with the natural world. We bring a message of Hope!

For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.
Wisdom 13:5

Our education and stewardship programs connect us to Christ and His Creation

The most clear path to instilling faith and fostering a stewardship ethic is through programing that intentionally connects the two. Our ecology programs and retreats are a clear path to showing the beauty of what is around us while catechizing youth about the depths of our faith. Stewardship projects flow from our faith in God and are our response to the many gifts he has given us. Our stewardship projects put faith into action and exemplify a living out of Catholic social teaching, especially care for creation. These stewardship projects include woodland restoration, prairie plantings, wildlife monitoring and more.

Fostering a Stewardship Ethic; Our Faith in Action

With the help of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, we planted this butterfly garden on the Schoofs Preserve near Holy Hill.

***Let Wonder Take You Into the Heart of God***

Laudato Si’ Project seeks to use the natural world as a conduit to facilitate a quiet place for prayer and utilizes Wonder to deepen faith. We need the stillness offered by nature to heard God’s voice in the whispers and time in nature is always “re-creational”. Opening our eyes to the ecological intricacy of the little things around us can help awaken a child-like Wonder which can then be directed toward God. One doesn’t need to go far to experience this. Here are some examples from the insects that call our prairie plantings home.

***Wonder***
On the right side of this coneflower is a camouflage looper. This caterpillar takes bits of the plant it is resting on to help itself blend in. It turns into a wavy-lined emerald moth.

***Wonder***
Looks like a bee visiting a flower, right? This is one of hundred’s of bee-mimicking flies using the black and gold stripes as visual protection from predators.

Wonder
When we think of migrating, it’s always birds that come to mind but what about insects? Some of our butterflies, beetles and dragonflies actually migrate! These monarch’s are on their way to Mexico this Fall. A several thousand mile journey that was never taking by them but rather their great, great, great grandparents.

Upcoming Events

***https://www.facebook.com/laudatosiproject/events***

Get outside and rediscover your sense of wonder for creation

Let the stillness and beauty of a prairie draw you to God

Spring of Rebirth

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Laudato Si Project

March can be such an emotional roller coaster; warmth and sunshine followed by ice, snow and cold. The landscapes look brown, devoid and lifeless. Yet, God’s life is stirring-up and working throughout the created world.

Maple Sap is flowing to the tops of trees while providing a sweet treat for sugarer’s during this Lenten season. Skunk cabbage, our earliest blooming flower, has already made its way through the ground to bloom (often needing to melt ice by creating heat). Woodcock’s are performing their mating ritual of the sky dance, fluttering several hundred feet into the air only to drift downward in a falling leaf display. Mourning cloak butterflies (our first butterfly to emerge) have spent the winter as a frozen adult and now search for nectar from broken tree branches and sap-sucker holes. These are all amazing indeed, but it is even a more hidden treasure I would like to highlight today.

**American Woodcock, Skunk Cabbage, Mourning Cloak Butterfly**

God has written a precious book, whose letters are the multitudes of created things in the universe.
Pope Francis

After the first warm rains (and even with nighttime temperatures in the 20’s) our native salamanders and crayfish are heading to the ephemeral ponds and waterways to mate and lay eggs. This is the exact moment when researchers and citizen scientists do their live-trap monitoring.

***Dr. Gary Casper setting up live traps for salamanders and crawfish***

Our native salamanders (Wisconsin has 7 including the newt and mudpuppy) are secretive creatures. We may have have found these critters as kids under logs or in our window wells. Three of our salamanders awake with the first rains and head to the nearest fish free wetland and vernal ponds to mate and lay eggs. Setting minnow traps to catch them is a great way to monitor their presence, abundance and breeding.

All water creatures, bless the Lord; praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Daniel 3:79

It is not just the salamanders you discover but many other little treasures along the way; sandhill crane nest, mud minnow, diving beetle and migrating birds.

The other cold-blooded creature moving during the nights may come as a surprise to you; the prairie crayfish. That’s right, not all crawfish spend their life underwater and Wisconsin has 6 native species. I recently discovered a crawfish burrow in the middle of a prairie on a nearby preserve and wondered what kind of crayfish it could be. Let the live-trapping begin!

***Prairie Crayfish burrows and live-trapped Prairie Crayfish (notice female on the right picture has babies underneath her tail).***

Not a lot is known about these crayfish species and much of our knowledge has come in recent decades using live trapping. Like salamanders, the prairie crayfish comes out after the first rains to find water to breed (even with nighttime temperatures in the 20’s!). During the warmer months, they forage nocturnally in the prairies and woodlands for worms and other food. There burrows can be quite elaborate and go as deep as needed to hit the water table, even up to 10 feet.

There are amazing natural treasures all around us all the time. Many are right before our eyes but we need our eyes “focused on the little things” to see.

A special thanks to Dr. Gary Casper of Great Lakes Ecological Services and Ozaukee Washington Land Trust.

2019: A Year in Review

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Laudato Si Project

Future Catholic Ecology Center Land Tour

God continues to richly bless Laudato Si’ Project‘s ministry and this February our organization will be turning 4 years old! Our mission has reached new levels in the last 12 months with new partnerships, programs and nearly $300,000 raised for the future Catholic Ecology Center land acquisition! None of this would be possible without our generous members, donors, partners and volunteers. Thank You!

2019 By the Numbers:

Over 1200 students, families and adults took part in faith-based and ecological programming
100 hours of educational programs
Over 465 volunteer hours of stewardship caring for our common home
30 hours of recreational outings to get outdoors and explore nature

For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen.
Wisdom 13:5

We are excited for what 2020 has in store for Laudato Si’ Project and the Catholic Ecology Center. Please continue to pray for us that God’s will may be done through our ministry. Keep up with all the happenings this coming year and join us for a program by liking us on Facebook.

Fruits of the Earth

Posted on October 4, 2019 by Laudato Si Project

The Bible is full of analogies that use the Earth and its abundance to describe our God and His love for us. It also uses the imagery of farming, scattering seed and harvesting to illustrate our need to cooperate with God’s will, evangelize, die to ourselves and bear virtuous fruit through our actions.

On this feast of St. Francis of Assisi and during this wonderful harvest time of our crops and vegetable gardens, perhaps we are more attune to this connection with God’s creation and our role to be stewards of it.

Fall is also the perfect time to seed a native prairie. That is, of course, after you have prepared the site and removed all unwanted “weedy” species like crown vetch, wild parsnip and Queen Anne’s lace before you seed natives. It is just like our life of virtue in which we must clear a space for the Lord in our hearts and replace our habitual vices with acts of charity or other virtue. Prairie sites can be prepared in 3 primary ways; agricultural tilling, smothering with cardboard, or herbicide treatment.

The tremendous roots of prairie plants, often times deeper than the plant is tall. We can all learn an important spiritual lessen from this and deepen our faith and commitment to God.

Laudato Si’ Project has done many such restoration projects over the last 4 years including plantings on preserves, at schools, or for private landowners. The amazing thing about these native plants is their tremendous root systems, sometimes extending over 10 feet down. They seem to heed the Bible’s advice to put down deep roots of faith to avoid quickly abandoning God when hardship or suffering comes along. For a plant, this hardship would be the availability of water and their deep roots solve that very problem.

Everything growing on earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever. -Daniel 3:76

Prairies and butterfly gardens not only look beautiful but can have some other important benefits as well; like helping pollinators, increasing infiltration and reducing soil erosion. They are also great places to do educational programs, both in the planting of them but also throughout their life.

Below are pictures from various prairie projects we have done and the many students and volunteers that helped to make them happen. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi Laudato Si’ Mi Signore; Praise Be To You My Lord

Springtime Care for Our Common Home

Posted on May 9, 2019 by Laudato Si Project

Spring is a time rich with opportunities to get people back outside after a long and cold winter. The last couple of months have been packed with retreats, educational programs and stewardship projects. Below are some of the highlights.

Education: Live Owl Program and Owl Prowl; Care for Creation Pollinator Program

We ran a sold out live owl program for our friends at Tall Pines Conservancy. We learned about all the amazing creatures that are active at night and learned about the adaptations that allow them to be so successful. Thanks to Wanakia Wildlife Rehabilitation for bringing live animals including the american crow, great horned owl, barred owl, saw-whet owl, eastern screech owl and opossum. The educational program was followed by an owl prowl looking and calling for owls on the amazing Camp Quad Conservation Easement. We finished with a bon fire and s’mores.

We also ran a Care for Creation program for St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Milwaukee. First graders through adult learned about topics including our Catholic call to be stewards of creation, prairie ecology and the diversity and importance of pollinators.

Stewardship: Camp Quad Conservation Easement

Tall Pines Conservancy’s private conservation easement on the 300 acre Camp Quad property is truly a treasure. We spent the morning with Marquette High School student volunteers marking their new nature trails throughout the property.

Faith: Retreats for St. Gabriel and St. Jude the Apostle

We always enjoy running retreats for the schools and parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. In April we did so for St. Gabriel middle school at the Forest Beach Migratory Preserve in Port Washington. In May we ran a retreat for St. Jude the Apostle 6th graders which took place at the Schoenstatt Retreat Center in Waukesha.

Part 2 Outdoor Adventure Series: Wyoming Catholic College

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Laudato Si Project

Wyoming Catholic College’s COR Expeditions; wyomingcatholic.org

Choose Wisely by Emily Gecosky

Wild berries were our staple snack food during our time in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. They were our sustenance: our sweet antidote for the soggy bland oats, the crown of our backcountry apple pie, the rich carpeting of several campsites, and even fish food. I remember standing on a rock one day during our three week escapade, tossing small rosy berries onto the surface of the veiled yellow depths of Lake Vera. I watched them drift lazily, and within moments a little fish pounced upon one of the berries, sucking it up with a sudden plop.The other berries soon met their demises in this fashion. Moments ago the fish had been wandering the sandy floor of the lake, sucking on pebbles and spewing them out again, but they forgot about their pebbles when they noticed the berries.

How like these fish we as human beings are: searching, foraging, grabbing at good things when we perceive them— perhaps for better things than we had before, as the fish abandoned their pebbles for the sake of berries. But what if they weren’t good— what if the berries I threw to the fish were poisonous? They probably would’ve eaten them anyway, mistaking them for food. In the same way, I think we often judge incorrectly: that in our innate desire for good things we can end up taking what merely appears good, but what is not actually good, and that in our hunger we often don’t distinguish between good berries and poisonous ones. We are beings cursed by concupiscence, which is the moral tendency to veer off course as misaligned tires would cause a car to tend slightly to the left, needing constant correction. It is precisely this bi-product of the Fall which makes us confused and causes us to choose wrongly. I then remembered how C.S. Lewis put words to such confusion in his Screwtape Letters. In one of the letters, the demon Screwtape corresponds with a less experienced demon, instructing him in the fine art of corrupting people. He explains the subtle differences between kinds of joy and how to use them to their advantages. Screwtape says, “Fun is closely related to Joy— a sort of emotional froth arising from the play instinct. It is very little use to us. It can sometimes be used, of course, to divert humans from something else which the Enemy would like them to be feeling or doing: but in itself it has wholly undesirable tendencies; it promotes charity, courage, contentment, and many other evils.

The Joke Proper, which turns on sudden perception of incongruity, is a much more promising field…” (Lewis, 50). The demons speak of a type of joy that will strengthen a person with good things versus a joy that will lead to their ruin— the difference between the good berry and the poisonous berry. People love and gravitate towards humor— why else are memes so popular? But in their desire for humor, they are prone to choosing the detrimental kind, a kind that will wound and degrade. A sad irony arises as well: even the demons are confused on what is “Enemy” and “evil”, as they use these words to refer to “God”, and to “goodness”. They have it flipped around.

My thoughts were interrupted by the chattering of chipmunks in the trees above me. There I stood, thinking deeply over something as insignificant as snacking fish. It wasn’t all that strange, since the day was especially set aside for this kind of meditation, for silence and self-reflection. A few hours in the presence of raw nature can turn anyone into a philosopher. With the day ahead of me, I kept tossing berry after berry, seeing the hungry mouths of fish breaking the surface of the glassy yellow water.

2018: A Year in Review

Posted on December 29, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

It has been another great year for Laudato Si’ Project and this February our organization will be turning 3 years old! There have been so many highlights and adventures in the last 12 months and it is all because of our generous members, donors, partners and volunteers. Thank You.

2018 By the Numbers:

Over 1400 students, families and adults took part in programming
80 hours of educational programs
Over 650 volunteer hours of stewardship caring for our common home
25 hours of recreational outings to get outdoors and explore nature

Education:

In 2018, Laudato Si’ Project ran 80 hours of educational programs! We were able to connect with hundreds of school students ranging from kindergarten up through college. Whether it is speaking at a school, retreat, conference, or out in the woods- education is at the core of what we do. Our School Partnerships have really expanded Laudato Si’ Project’s reach. With our partnerships growing, we are able to work with teachers to help them connect students to the teaching of the Church and Laudato Si’. This ensured they could find ways to get students into nature, sparking curiosity and developing a love for this amazing natural gift.

Retreats

One of Laudato Si’ Project’s most impactful programs are the retreats we facilitate for ret6 parishes and schools throughout Southeast Wisconsin. This fall we were privileged to work with nearly 300 students, deepening their faith and calling their love for God into action through stewardship of our common home.

Watch our short video about Laudato Si’ Project Retreats.

Stewardship:

In 2018, Laudato Si’ Project logged over 650 volunteer hours! Stewardship is all about getting our hands dirty. It is our philosophy that is it not enough to just learn about nature, you have to work to help restore it. By allowing students opportunity’s to give the Earth a helping hand- we are instilling a sense of mercy for our common home that they will carry with them throughout their lives. We are very proud of the great partnerships we have struck with multiple organizations including Tall Pines Conservancy, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Waukesha Land Conservancy, Catholic Heart Work Camp, Heiliger Huegel Ski Club and Schoenstatt Retreat Center.

Protecting Pollinators

In 2018, we planted 7 different native butterfly gardens totaling nearly 4000 native wildflowers! These gardens are an oasis for our native bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Over 200 students assisted with the plantings and also learned about the benefits of prairies and unique ecology of the organisms that call it home.

Recreation:

In 2018, Laudato Si’ Project created 25 hours of recreation outings. We seek to create intentional recreational opportunities so that students, adults and families can spend time enjoying our beautiful natural environment.

It has been a great year! God has richly blessed our organization again this year and has given us countless ways to spread our vital mission. We look forward to busy and fruitful 2019. Happy New Year.

Upcoming Events:

Sat January 26th 10am-noon Hartland Marsh Stewardship
Sat/Sun February 2nd-3rd: Langlauf Winter Carnival
Sun February 17th 1pm-3:30 Living in the Web of Creation Program and Fellowship

Check our Facebook page for more details

prayer

Outdoor Adventure Series: Wyoming Catholic College

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

WCCtitle — Wyoming Catholic College’s COR Expeditions; wyomingcatholic.org

The 4-part Outdoor Adventure Series will consist of essays written by students who participated in one of Wyoming Catholic College’s COR Expeditions: a 21-day backpacking trip infused with faith, community, virtue and beauty. You can view a video and learn more about Wyoming Catholic College’s COR Expedition offerings HERE

Essay #1: Mt. Geikie

by MaryAnne Speiss

With a slap, cold woke me; I was freezing! The chill of last night’s storm hung on the air of the tent, and trying to pretend it away did no good. I tensed my entire body to combat the frigid air sneaking into everypore and extricated my aching limbs from the thin bag that had so wretchedly performed its function. All my clothes (save the thin layers I wore) were wet; I could not warm myself. The tent dripped on us; I could not fix it. My bare feet, cringing as they slid into clammy sandals, hurt as cold bit them. I was completely powerless to ameliorate the situation. All I could do was grit my teeth and hurl myself, exhausted and rebellious, through the tent flap and onto the wet mountain grass of the windy valley. My stiff body uncrumpled and poised upright, and then I saw it!

Mt. Geikie stood before me, but not the brutal mound of rock that I had summited
the day before. It still retained its perfect shape, climbing and climbing to a double peak, and my feet and hands still vividly recalled the ledges and dark boulder fields discernible from below. But the storm had transformed the sight before me. No longer was it something known and familiar, as it had been in the garish sunlight; it was now something of immense power, almost eerie in its captivation as soft tendrils of cloud swirled white against the dark peaks, mirroring their swaying counterparts in the sky. They flowed in slow succession into all the crannies and crevices of Geikie, almost to the tree-line. If ever a mountain took on the robes of a god, this was the moment! A shuddering thrill: I had stood on holy ground and had not known it! Would that I had knelt upon the peak. What words were whispered between the rugged rocks and soft curling cloud I could not hear, but though the wind swirled hard about my huddled shoulders and bare ankles, I stood stunned, my misery forgotten.

The vision only lasted a few breathless moments before I was filled with such inspiration that I found myself tromping off, still shivering, to attack the camp’s morning duties with a gusto so intense that it rivalled my recent, vicious frustration.

I was shocked! Had this really happened? Had an experience of intense beauty just given me the ability to bear cold serenely (which had never happened before in my life)? Where was the writhing of my soul in the face of my inability to improve the situation? It was gone, not explained away but suddenly absent, crowded out of my small brain by a deluge of beauty. The frustration begin to seep back from time to time over the course of the morning, and with it the vivid consciousness of pain, but whenever I remembered the beauty of my early morning vision it would again vanish. I was intrigued and began a quest of speculation.

I at last hypothesized that pain is comprised of two things, both which we call pain by themselves though perhaps we are wrong in so doing: firstly, the discomfort caused by an inevitable stimulus, and secondly, the impotent frustration that usually ensues. These go hand in hand so regularly that I had not clearly noticed this distinction before. It appeared to me now that the frustration was not inevitable and could indeed be avoided by counteracting it with beauty, either in actuality or in memory, which would then allow for a strengthened and vivacious going-onward with life. So I set out to test my theory, and I soon broadened my experiment not just to physical discomfort but also to mental discomfort.

As painful situations would spring upon me, I was ready for them. At one wyc1 time my eyes ached from exhaustion; I recalled the crescent moon crested by a planet that I had seen the night before, and, sure enough, I found that I could go on invigorated, my frustration dissipated. At another time, I found myself on the verge of cursing at an annoying situation; I looked up and saw some fresh-cut flowers and returned to a place of inner cool. In no case did the exhaustion or annoyance magically disappear, but they lost the edge that made them feel unbearable, and I could then attack or tolerate problems with considerably more ease and courage. St. Paul might have meant something far more immediate and tangible than I had ever realized when he famously penned “whatever is lovely … think about these things.” (The Holy Bible, RSV, Phil. 4.8). So far my vision of Mt. Geikie had only lead me to confront lesser manifestations of the problem of evil. Little did I suspect that through it, and through my speculations on the nature of pain, I would get a glimpse of a deeper answer I had been seeking for years.

I, (and I know that I am far from alone in this), have long been locked in close combat with the problem of evil’s most affronting manifestation: the suffering of innocent victims. I was aware that my impotent rage at this injustice was etching itself deeper and deeper into my heart. The older I got, the more it threatened to shatter me. I could follow the arguments of theologians like C. S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain as they used logic to explain how such outrage could be allowed by a good God. I could even intellectually assent to such arguments; only, I could not come close to inward peace on the subject. I had no concrete example to draw upon in order to comprehend how somehow, someday, it could be possible to accept a reason for innocent suffering without experiencing devastating inward rebellion. Indeed, I had several times considered whether I should “most respectfully return [God] the ticket” (245) to heaven, alongside Dostoevsky’s Ivan Karamazov.

But then I saw it! Of course! Everything suddenly came clear; my image of Geikie was the example I needed! For an intense, flashing second I saw a metaphorical Geikie, not the mountain of stone but now representing the whole of history. It too was swathed in clouds, the clouds of all innocent suffering since the fall of man. If, thought I, the very clouds that caused the misery on the freezing morning were the things that redeemed it in the end — with beauty and not explanation — then it is possible, just possible, for the same to be true of innocent sufferings when seen from the end of time.

I stand stunned, my heart at peace.

A Fall Packed with Faith, Stewardship and Fun

Posted on October 11, 2018October 8, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

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This Fall has presented countless opportunities to connect with nature, grow in faith, and care for our common home. Over 300 people, ranging in age from 3 years old to 80 years old, took part in Laudato Si’ Project events this Fall! These included educational programs, retreats, recreational outings, and stewardship projects.

Education:

Programs with Saint John Vianney 7th and 8th grade, Woodside Elementary, Families at Schoofs Preserve, St. Gabriel Flea Market and Schoenstatt Families

Catching insects as part of family retreat weekend

Care for Creation Search

Catching insects as part of family retreat weekend

Laudato Si’ Project was also honored to have executive director Joe Meyer awarded File_006 Ozaukeee Washington Land Trust’s Michael Frome Education and Outreach Award.

Stewardship:

Programs with Cristo Rey High School, Woodside Elementary, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Casa Romero Center, Marquette High School and other hard working volunteers.

Fun and Games at the Schoenstatt Family Retreat Weekend

St. Kateri Cross

St Kateri Cross

Recreation: Nothing beats time spent in nature. Student groups find that hiking and exploring in our natural world is truly Re-Creational.

Connecting with Summer Wildlife

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

Laudato Si’ Project seeks to utilize connections with nature to instill a sense of wonder and begin to create a stewardship ethic rooted in faith. The summer months present great opportunities to do just that. Using small mammal live traps, snake boards, turtle nets and other ecological monitoring equipment, we are able to let groups get up-close and hands-on with Wisconsin wildlife.

A Masked Shrew

Checking a Snake Board

Learning about Painted Turtles

Holding a Painted Turtle

Removing a Snapping Turtle from the Live Trap

Safely Holding a Snapping Turtle

Learning about the beautiful treasures of creation is not limited to the daytime. Few people experience the diversity of our nocturnal animals: bats, lightning bugs, and moths. We use ultrasonic microphones that hook-up to your smart phone that detect feeding bats overhead that are using echolocation. Even though you may not see them, the device makes audible their echolocation and auto-id’s the species of bat. Although Wisconsin’s 8 bat species present great opportunities for discovery and topics of conservation, our hundreds of species of moths should not be overlooked.

Blacklight Live-Moth Trap at Night

Collecting the trap in the morning

We make this great diversity of moths accessible through live moth trapping. By

making a homemade moth live trap you are able to make visible all those amazing bugs that move about while we are asleep inside. All you need to do is turn the black-light on in the trap before you go to bed and in the morning feast your eyes on the treasures it has collected. If you really want a project, purchase a Peterson Field Guide to Moths and try to identify some of them.

Moth-Mania

Painted Lichen, LeConte’s Haploa, Ailanthus Webworm and Virginia Ctenuchid

Yellow-Collared Slug Moth

Lesser Grapevine Looper Moth

Yellow-necked Caterpillar Moth

Large-maple Spanworm Moth

Skiff Moth

Canadian Owlet Moth

Geranium Plume Moth

“Through the greatness and the beauty of creatures one comes to know by analogy their maker” -Pope Francis Laudato Si’ (Wis 13:5)

Faith, Education and Stewardship

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

With Earth Day just this past Sunday, we thought we would share all the great happenings within the last week. If you haven’t read the article about Laudato Si’ Project in the National Catholic Reporter, you can view it HERE. We also had the opportunity to speak about Care for Our Common Home on Relevant Radio’s Morning Air. You can listen to that Conversation HERE.

This week we also had the privilege to work with 2 middle schools in the Archdioscese of Milwaukee, St. Alphonsus and St. Jude the Apostle. We helped St. Alphonsus 7th graders with a service project and teaching them about how our faith connects with Care for Our Common Home. We continued with a woodland restoration at our Schoenstatt project area removing invasive species and putting up bluebird and kestrel nest boxes.

Laudato Si’ Project also led the 6th graders of St. Jude the Apostle in their retreat focused on Respect, Peace and Acceptance. This is part of a continued partnership with Marquette University High School, Laudato Si’ Project and middle schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The weather could not have been better and the students were able to experience a fun, faith-filled retreat that drew them closer to God, one another, and Creation.

Lastly, we have finished installing our Bat Boxes on several properties in Washington County. These boxes will serve as a day-time roosting site for our many bats that call Wisconsin Home. You can learn more about helping bats at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/bathouse.html

February/March Nature Notes

Posted on February 26, 2018February 26, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

Butterflies in March?

Even with snow on the ground, adult mourning cloak butterflies emerge from their mourning_cloak_10-27-14 winter slumber spent under leaves or loose bark. They are one of only a handful of butterflies to overwinter as adults. To keep from freezing, mourning cloaks reduce the amount of water in their blood by as much as 30 percent and then thicken it with a sugar solution of sorbitol. Biologists in Alaska found that mourning cloaks do not freeze until the temperature reaches minus 220°F. Once they emerge, they need to quickly feed, so they often seek out running tree sap or rotten fruit. Mourning cloaks win the award for greatest longevity among butterflies, living 10 or 11 months. Search the woodlands near you this spring.

Maple Syrup

February and March can be tough months, with some warm days followed by a snow storm. One way to sweeten this emotional roller coaster is to experience the maple syrup season. File_002(1) Even when nature seems asleep, maple trees are sending sugary sap up to the branches where the buds will use the sugar to make leaves in a few weeks. In my experience, having days around forty and sunny with nights below freezing produces the best sap flow. When temperatures reach high forties and fifty the flow actually stops. The sap is about 2-5% sugar and will be boiled down to about 66% sugar which we then call syrup. This boiling can be slow going as you may have to evaporate off 50 gallons of water to get 1 gallon of syrup! Sugar Maples are the most common tree used for syruping but other maple family trees can be used; silver, red, and boxelder. In Alaska, without maple trees, they utilize the sap of birch trees to make syrup!

Maple Syrup demo at HH Ski Club

Watching the sap drip

A bucket-line method

Boiling off the Sap. On the left is the concentrated syrup, Right is the Sap

Small Mammals

Some of our mammals began to awake from their winter slumber in March but many

File_000(5) — A meadow vole we captured recently

mammals were active all winter. Laudato Si’ Project is beginning some small mammal survey’s using live traps in order to gain understanding of what lives in certain areas and how many. The goal is also to create programs open to the public so they can see many of these amazing critters close up. It also demonstrates ways in which research scientists monitor and study these animals. Our target species include: meadow vole, short-tailed shrew, meadow jumping mouse, woodland jumping mouse, deer mouse, 13- lined ground squirrel and flying squirrel.

The sherman live traps we use for our small mammal survey’s

The sherman live traps we use for our small mammal survey’s

Spring Avian Arrivals

Many of us look forward to the first calls of red-winged blackbirds, robins, and sandhill cranes, but there is another bird species that begins its unique mating dance in March, the

AmericanWoodcock-Vyn_080407_0014 — American Woodcock

American Woodcock. On these spring evenings, just before dark you will begin to hear the “peenting” call of the male Amercian Woodcock. Without knowing this, you might write it off as a silly insect buzz but what follows is truly a spectacle of nature. The male continues his “peenting” call for several minutes before taking flight. Then begins a circular flight into the sky, during which you will hear a high pitch noise as they fly made by the sound of their wings. They continue these concentric circles until they are several hundred feet in the air and then continue with their “falling leaf” display. This consists of erratically falling through the air while making high pitch vocal tweets. Their sky dance ends with them swooping silently to the ground where they originally took off and continue their “peenting.” This mating display continues well into the night and sometimes in the morning as well.

February and March is also a great time to cleanout your bluebird nest boxes for the arrival of the Eastern Bluebird. These gorgeous birds arrive early in the spring and begin to choose nest sites; tree cavities or nest boxes. American Kestrels also begin choosing their territories and picking out nest boxes as well. Laudato Si’ Project is helping to boost both bird populations with the installation of dozens of kestrel and bluebird nest boxes in Southeast WI. Many of our bird houses are made from scrape lumbar reclaimed from construction sites. Volunteers and Boy Scouts are placing them at several sites including Schoenstatt Retreat Center, Daniel Boone Conservation League, Tall Pines Conservancy’s Camp Quad Easement, Heiliger Huegel Ski Club and several other private land owners with appropriate habitat.

Our Peterson Bluebird Nest Boxes

An American Kestrel Nest box we placed at Daniel Boone Conservation League

American Kestrel

Eastern Bluebird

Lent with Laudato Si’

Posted on February 14, 2018February 13, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

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“The poor and the earth are crying out.” -Pope Francis Laudato Si’

As we embark on this Lenten season, we do so with the structure of the 3 pillars of lent; Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. These actions of self denial orient us toward the Creator who is the source of all life and true happiness. Many of our transgressions against God and one another stem from a distorted understanding of our place in this world. When we forget our rightful place as creature and not Creator, we focus only on ourselves and neglect our prayer life, our role as stewards of creation and service to one another. We can also use the 4 Cardinal Virtues as a guide to reflection about our personal stewardship ethic.

Justice:

What is owed my neighbor? What is owed to generations yet to come? How are we going to hand on this Creation that we have been called to steward?

Temperance:

One of the hardest but most impactful of virtues. How can we restrain our consumption and always wanting more? How can we simplify our lives to make more room for God?

Prudence:

This virtue allows us to discern the true cost of our actions. Our consciences need to be formed by our Faith. This will allow us to guide our families and those around us to more sustainable choices and lifestyles. We can also give thanks for what we have been given.

Fortitude:

The virtue of fortitude gives us the perseverance to live more simply and the courage to be counter-cultural. It also gives us the strength to remain hopeful amidst the hardships and injustices in our world.

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Prayer:

In your prayer this Lent, take time to pray for Our Common Home and those which depend most intricately on it, the poor. Click Here for a great prayer by Pope Francis

Fasting:

In an effort to rid our hearts and lives of that which is not essential, the Church calls us to simplicity through fasting. Much of our environmental and social degradation is due to a “throw away culture.” This Lent, fast from those wasteful habits in your life.

Almsgiving:

The paradox of Christianity is clear; less is more, give and you will receive. By detaching from our money we more clearly can experience God’s love and freedom in our lives. There are so many wonderful organizations helping Humanity and our Common Home. Consider supporting Laudato Si’ Project this Lent.

Further Study:

You can find a Laudato Si’ Study Guide and other resources on our Website

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Kindergarten, Naturally

Posted on January 29, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

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Guest Reflection by Woodside Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Peter Dargatz

Some of my earliest and favorite childhood memories are my experiences with nature at Underwood Creek, catching frogs at Menominee River Parkway, and rock hunting along the shores of Kohler-Andrae State Park. Nature has always been a place of peace and passion in my life. No matter what else was going on in life, nature was a constant. Living in Wisconsin means amazing seasonal variability and wonderful access to nature. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. As I grew up, I knew that nature would continue to be something I enjoyed personally. I never expected it to be something I could enjoy professionally. Fortunately, I can now do both. I am ecstatic to be able to continue sharing my passion and love for the natural world with my family and my students.

Teacher burnout is a real thing. I love educating children, but after years of teaching, I couldn’t help but feel that change was needed. I saw my students excelling academically but falling short in other areas. The change I needed was not a new job, but a new direction. That direction led me back to my love: nature. Initially, my rejuvenation began with the creation of the Tyke Hike program in my volunteer work for the Ice Age Trail’s Waukesha/Milwaukee County Chapter. These monthly hikes along a segment of the trail focused on more unstructured exploration and nature play combined with some service learning and emergent learning opportunities. Seeing how excited children were at being able to observe, explore, and play in nature inspired me to find a way to bring that enthusiasm to my classroom. I found that way with the nature kindergarten concept. Being in a public school, there were many potential hurdles. However, with tremendous support, access to land, and a seemingly endless supply of energy and enthusiasm, it soon became a reality. My students receive daily interactions with nature with a nature-infused curriculum bursting with project-based, personalized, and play-based experiences.

The Tyke Hike program and my nature kindergarten classroom are extremely important to my family. Besides the substantial support and assistance with the responsibilities these activities require, my family is my inspiration for my continued development as a teacher and nature steward. My daughters inspire me to create a classroom community that would make them proud. My wife inspires me to follow my dreams and try new things. We constantly share our own nature experiences and making new nature memories together. My wife and I want our girls to experience and celebrate nature so that they will appreciate and honor it on their own.

Whether it be visiting my outdoor classroom, walking through the nature preserve at the end of our block, or visiting one of our many favorite nature spots throughout the area, nature is and will always be an essential element of our lives. We don’t learn about nature. We learn from and in it.

In my three years as a nature kindergarten teacher, I have worked to revamp and rejuvenate my instructional practices by enhancing my curriculum with opportunities for my students to dig into nature, both figuratively and literally. We engage in a diversified set of activities aimed at creating a well-rounded whole-child experience. Place-based learning is crucial to this. I want my students to more deeply understand their community and more importantly, their place and role in that community. While there are a variety of specific activities and experiences we use to deepen our connection to the natural world, the first and far most valuable resource is time. Time to explore, observe, and play. Every day. Mother Nature is a much better teacher than I could ever be so giving her control allows the students to see their world with a different perspective.

This different perspective aims to create and instill a passion for appreciation and love of the land. I want my students to experience the land, understand their place in it, and preserve it. For example, students learn about invasive species. With garlic mustard being easy to find and just as easy to pull out, it is a natural choice to use as a learning tool. We learn about what garlic mustard is, what it does, and why getting rid of it will be helpful for our land. Once we learn that, our daily interactions with nature include garlic mustard picking. It becomes so motivating for kids. I have received many correspondences from parents stating how their child spent hours at home and in the neighborhood pulling out plant after plant. Similarly, to diversify the land, we work on prairie restoration. Using old donated tarps, the students choose a spot to kill off the bland and homogeneous grasses. Later on, they remove the tarp, move it to a new location, and plant prairie plants in that spot. They also distribute native seeds and study different plans to purchase. Additionally, the students do a variety of things to help our animal friends. Whether it be building bird feeders or setting up winter dens, we learn about nature by immersing ourselves in it.

Pulling Invasive Garlic Mustard

Using a tarp to prepare a site for native plants

An example of a winter den

Read a great article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about Peter and his classes HERE

High School Retreat at Holy Hill

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Laudato Si Project

The St. Catherine of Alexandria High School group ready for our Ice Age trail hike

Laudato Si’ Project was thrilled to help run the high school retreat for St. Catherine of Alexandria in Brown Deer. We began in the morning with a presentation and discussion

The St. Catherine of Alexandria High School Retreat

on Living Laudato Si’. Topics included: What the Church teaches in regards to Care for Creation, what are the major themes of Laudato Si’, and how to we live a Laudato Si’ stewardship ethic day to day.

After a great morning session, it was time for lunch and then out into the sunny 40 degree January weather! We were off on our faith-based ecology hike to explore the amazing beauty of the Holy Hill segment of the Ice Age Trail.

Joining us for our walk was volunteer educator Steven Schwartz. Steven earned his Bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and wetland science and is currently taking Master’s classes at the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences. It was a blessing to have Steven’s faith and expertise on our hike. We discussed some of the unique geological features that can be found in the Kettle Moraine and heard insights for great Saints like St. Kateri Tekawitha. It was truly a wonderful day for the youth and it ended with the sacraments of Reconciliation and Mass at the Holy Hill Basilica. A special thanks to Lorrie Maples who is the Formation Director for St. Catherine of Alexandria.

Holy Hill Basilica

Ice Age Trail Hike

A prayer by St. Kateri Tekakwitha

Ice Age Trail Hike

Pope Francis prayer intention to Care for Our Common Home

Volunteer Educator Steven Schwartz speaking to the group

Having a good time on the trail

Outdoor Stations of the Cross at Holy Hill

Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded. -Pope Francis, Laudato Si’

2017 Highlights

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

St. Dominic’s Retreat

St. John Vianney Retreat

SJV 7th Grade Retreat

Mulching the butterfly garden

Our MUHS boys helping with the woodland restoration

Our brave volunteers for the “Canticle of Creation” skit

Water Quality Testing with MUHS

St. John Vianney 8th Grade Retreat

Buckeye Butterfly

A twelve spotted skimmer dragonfly

Laudato Si’ Project guided hike with Chesterton Academy: Connecting Faith and Care for Creation

Laudato Si’ Project’s “Nature Discovery Zone”

Our Great Team at the Sustainability Weekend at St. Gabriel Parish

St Leonard’s VBS

Volunteers at our Adopt-a-highway cleanup

Eagle Scout Project

Blanding’s Turtle

Our Student Stewardship Award

St. Gabriel’s Nature Club

Candle-light hike at Winter Carnival

Well, it’s hard to believe that were are wrapping up 2017 already. It has been another big year for Laudato Si’ Project and this February our organization will be turning 2 years old! There have been so many highlights and adventures in the last 12 months and it is all because of our generous members, donors, and volunteers. Thank You.

The summer of 2017 was the 2 year anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Pope Francis also made “care for our common home” a work of mercy 1 year ago in 2016! (see New Work of Mercy). This solidified Laudato Si’ Project’s mission and gave us even more momentum moving forward. As our mission states, we are dedicated to restoring humanity’s connection to the natural world through education, stewardship, and recreation.

Education

St. Dominic Middle School Retreat

Mr. D as St. Francis of Assisi

Learning about amazing prairie roots

A nice breakfast before the presentation

Stations during the retreat

Finding an American Toad

Laudato Si’ Project’s “Bug Hike”

Beginning Birding Hike

Joe Meyer leads a prairie hike at HH ski club

2017 Nature Club at St. Gabriel Parish School in Hubertus, WI.

In 2017, Laudato Si’ Project ran 70 hours of educational programs! We were able to connect with several hundred school students ranging from kindergarten up through college. Whether it is speaking at a school, retreat, conference, or out in the woods- education is at the core of what we do. Our School Partnerships have really expanded Laudato Si’ Project’s reach. With over a dozen partnerships and growing, we are able to work with teachers to help them connect students to the teaching of the Church and Laudato Si’. This ensured they could find ways to get students into nature, sparking curiosity and developing a love for this amazing natural gift.

“The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, his boundless affection for us. Soil, water, mountains – everything is, as it were, a caress of God.” -Pope Francis, Laudato Si’

Stewardship

A nest box we put up at Patnode Pastures

Planting the butterfly garden

Removing buckthorn from the trail

A tagged monarch butterfly

About to release a tagged monarch

Conducting a controlled prairie burn starts with “back-burning”

Savannah Restoration Team

Art Teacher Stacey Kodra and English/Latin Teacher Erica Zunac show off their restoration tools

In 2017, Laudato Si’ Project logged over 600 volunteer hours! Stewardship is all about getting our hands dirty. It is our philosophy that is it not enough to just learn about nature, you have to work to help restore it. By allowing students opportunity’s to give the Earth a helping hand- we are instilling a sense of mercy for our common home that Pope Francis has called us to.

“We must hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” –Pope Francis, Laudato Si’

Recreation

Our butterfly catching crew on the search for insects

Chesterton Academy students on retreat and ready to take a faith and ecology hike with Laudato Si’ Project

Leaving for the candlelight hike

Hiking the half mile to the woodland site

In 2017, Laudato Si’ Project created 25 hours of recreation outings. We seek to create intentional recreational opportunities so that students, adults, and families can spend time enjoying our beautiful natural environment. “Less screen time-More green time”, that’s our modo. We are very proud of the great partnerships we have struck with multiple organizations including Tall Pines Conservancy, Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, Heiliger Huegel Ski Club and the Schoenstatt Retreat Center. These organizations own large amounts of land and gives us the ability to connect people with meaningful educational events, stewardship projects, and recreational outings.

“LIVING OUR VOCATION TO BE PROTECTORS OF GOD’S HANDIWORK IS ESSENTIAL TO A LIFE OF VIRTUE; IT IS NOT AN OPTIONAL OR A SECONDARY ASPECT OF OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.” -POPE FRANCIS, LAUDATO SI’

A Home for Kestrels

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

Laudato Si’ Project has ambitious goals for 2018 to help this species recover.

Few birds of prey in WI can rival the beauty of the American Kestrel. At roughly the size of a Mourning Dove, it is North America’s smallest falcon. Unfortunately, it has declined nearly 50% over much of its range since the 1960’s. Reasons for the decline are varied

but include continued clearing of land and felling of the standing dead trees these birds depend on for their nest sites. The American Kestrel is also losing prey sources and nesting cavities to so-called “clean” farming practices, which remove hedgerows, trees, and brush. An additional threat is exposure to pesticides and other pollutants, which can reduce clutch sizes and hatching success. For kestrels in North America, a larger problem with pesticides is that they destroy the insects, spiders, and other prey on which the birds depend.

American Kestrel

American Kestrel often perch on wires

Laudato Si’ Project is responding to kestrel decline the same way we responded to blue bird decline- the installation of nesting boxes (See past blog post Bluebird Nest Boxes). LSP has already begun the construction and hanging of Kestrel nest boxes. Kestrel’s prefer open habitat where they hunt for rodents, grasshoppers, and other insects. This presents great opportunities for LSP to work with landowner’s in Southeastern Wisconsin installing nest boxes and increasing nest success. Nest boxes can be placed 10-25 feet up on non-utility telephone poles, lone trees or barns. Farm’s, pastures, and preserves managed by our partners provide countless opportunities to help a species in need. These nest boxes also create monitoring and educational opportunities for both students and adults.

A Nest Box we put up at the HH Ski Club

A nest box we put up at Patnode Pastures

Help us create a house for an American Kestrel

Sponsor an American Kestrel Box for $25. Great gift idea for the nature lover in your life. We’ll send you an Adopt-A-Kestrel Certificate and in the Fall inform you of the number of hatchlings your box made possible. Donate securely online HERE

Cool Kestrel Facts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

It can be tough being one of the smallest birds of prey. Despite their fierce lifestyle, American Kestrels end up as prey for larger birds such as Northern Goshawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Barn Owls, American Crows, and Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks.
Unlike humans, birds can see ultraviolet light. This enables kestrels to make out the trails of urine that voles, a common prey mammal, leave as they run along the ground. Like neon diner signs, these bright paths may highlight the way to a meal—as has been observed in the Eurasian Kestrel, a close relative.
Kestrels hide surplus kills in grass clumps, tree roots, bushes, fence posts, tree limbs, and cavities, to save the food for lean times or to hide it from thieves.
The oldest American Kestrel was a male and at least 14 years, 8 months old when he was found in Utah in 2001. He had been banded in the same state in 1987.

World of Wonders

Posted on November 23, 2017November 21, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

Guest Reflection by Steven Schwartz; Member of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish

20160717_170521 — Photo by Steven Schwartz

We have been given a world of wonders.

That’s the only conclusion I can reach when I find myself admiring the beauty of nature. That’s the only conclusion I’ve ever been able to reach, from the time I was looking at the bugs found from overturning rocks as a little kid to pursuing a degree in Wildlife Ecology as an adult. The world around us is beautiful, infinitely complex, fascinating, sometimes intimidating or horrifying, but amazing in its features nonetheless.

This is the world God has given to us. Whether you look at the charge given from God to Adam in Genesis or the sheer influence we have over the natural world through our numbers and technology, like it or not, we are the stewards of this planet.

20160506_144757 — Photo by Steven Schwartz

Which makes it more painful to me when I see people not only completely ignoring that duty, that sacred duty, but seemingly embrace decidedly non-Christian principles in regard to the world around us. Greed in many ways has become the norm, and anything impeding the acquisition of more wealth is increasingly subject to scrutiny. This, among other things, includes nature itself. People in power bear false witness in order to try and make themselves appear as if they are doing no harm in spite of what they are actually inflicting on our mother Earth. What’s worse is that people, through their own ignorance whether willful or no, believe them.

We have been given a world of wonders, yet we can see only money. For this challenge, we must all embrace an awesome stewardship in which we live as examples of giving all to Christ who has given all to us.

Steven with other LSP volunteers during a stewardship work day

In truth I think many of the teachings of Jesus do connect themselves to our treatment of nature, just as they do to humanity. For we are, all of us, part of nature as a whole, connected to the world around us as surely as any other plant or animal. Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you stretches to, as the saint who Pope Francis took as his namesake often said, our non-human “brothers and sisters,” in my opinion. Another aspect of St. Francis was his radical poverty, his life itself a dramatic prayer, and his denying self to glorify the Lord. Being mindful of greed, just as our Lord warned, rings just as strongly when looking at the actions of powerful industries as they did when looking at the actions of the corrupted powerful in Roman-occupied Israel in Jesus’ time.

It is with great happiness then that I read for myself just how invested and informed Pope Francis himself is on the topic of preserving and protecting the environment. He reminds us in his Laudato Si encyclical that it is often the poorest among us who continue to suffer the most at the hands of ecological degradation, whether it be through air pollution or drought worsened by global climate change. He’s really given me hope that the Catholic Church can do some good in this conflict.

This and the desire to educate are a now a part of why I continue to try and do my part to protect the natural world, whether it’s through education or through physical efforts. I genuinely believe, on top of this, that we cannot be cut off from the wonder of life, its diversity, its beauty, while we still have the means to protect and cherish it.

For we have been given a world of wonders. With God’s help, let’s act like it.

20160706_203741 — Photo by Steven Schwartz

Schoofs Preserve Stewardship and St. Dominic Retreat

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

St. Dominic’s Retreat

This past week, Laudato Si’ Project helped put on the St. Dominic middle school retreat, as well as, a stewardship work day on the Schoofs Preserve for St. Theresa of Calcutta young adults group. For the stewardship work day, chilly temperatures were no barrier for this group. The Schoofs Preserve is a 51-acre preserve owned by the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust and our group was focused on removing invasive species like buckthorn and honeysuckle from around the pond to allow regeneration of native species like red-twig dogwood and elderberry. Thanks to all the young adults from Theresa of Calcutta for their hard work!

Schoofs Preserve Invasive Species Removal

Laudato Si’ Project, in collaboration with MUHS and CMH, put on a great retreat for the St. Dominic middle school. Students were lead through a day of prayer and contemplation around Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si: Care for the Common Home. They participated in activities that helped them to better appreciate their relationship with God, one another, and creation. Students came to understand our interconnectedness to all parts of creation and ended the day making a commitment to care for our common home. Each received a prayer card, badge, and sticker to remind them to be the hands of Jesus to one another and to the world! Thanks to all the high school student and adult volunteers that made this a great experience for St. Dominic students.

St. Dominic Middle School Retreat

St. John Vianney 7th Grade Retreat

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

We had a wonderful Wednesday with the 7th grade class of St. John Vianney at Schoenstatt Retreat Center. Laudato Si’ Project has partnered with Marquette University High School and St. John Vianney for our Common Home Explorer Program. We were privileged to work with St. John Vianney’s youth minister, Claire Hoffmeyer, in the planning of the retreat which had a focus on prayer, relationships, and stewardship.

Retreat Acitivity

MUHS student and SJV graduate Phil Volkert gives a witness talk and runs an activity

Schoenstatt Sister Sarah welcomes SJV

The morning started with Mass and witness talks by SJV pastor Fr. Miniatt and MUHS student/SJV graduate Phil Volkert. Students were split into groups to discuss prayer, trust, and relationships. Students then took part in a skit about St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation. This was used as a springboard into our afternoon which focused on Care for our Common Home.

Mr. D as St. Francis of Assisi

Canticle of Creation skit

The afternoon activity included a reflective group walk up to our woodland restoration site. Students helped with our ongoing project by removing and stacking invasive buckthorn trees. The amount of work that 34 motivated 7th graders can do is truly amazing. Temperatures in the high 40’s didn’t seem to negatively impact this group at all. We finished the afternoon by hiking a trail that loops much of the beautiful retreat center property.

Here is a brief video clip showing our land stewardship.

Canticle of Creation: St. Francis of Assisi

O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God, to you belong praise, glory, honor and all blessing.

Be praised, my Lord, for all your creation and especially for our Brother Sun, who brings us the day and the light; he is strong and shines magnificently.
O Lord, we think of you when we look at him.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon, and for the stars which you have set shining and lovely in the heavens.

Be praised, my Lord, for our Brothers Wind and Air and every kind of weather by which you, Lord, uphold life in all your creatures.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Water, who is very useful to us, and humble and precious and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, for Brother Fire, through whom you give us light in the darkness: he is bright and lively and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Earth, our Mother, who nourishes us and sustains us,
bringing forth fruits and vegetables of many kinds and flowers of many colors.

Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of you; and for those who bear sickness and weakness in peace and patience – you will grant them a crown.

Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Death, whom we must all face. I praise and bless you, Lord, and I give thanks to you, and I will serve you in all humility.

Butterfly Garden Planting

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

Getting our hands dirty!

Planting the butterfly garden

Learning about amazing prairie roots

Learning about Elk in WI

We had an incredible afternoon Friday planting a butterfly garden at Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts. We started by doing an educational program with the K-5 students about prairie, what factors shape it, and why it is important. We discussed the role of fire in shaping this unique ecosystem, as well as, how bison and elk in WI also shaped the landscape. Students were able to feel the hides of those animals and even try on an elk antler. We also looked at the amazing roots of prairie that can go as deep as 15 feet! This helps prairies survive and benefit from wildfires and also help the plants during droughts. Students were able to lie next to a banner showing the actual size of big bluestem and lead plant roots. We talked about WI butterflies and pollinators that will benefit from the prairie planting.

Learning about Bison in WI

Learning about amazing prairie roots

We then got our hands dirty planting 150 native prairie wildflowers and mulching the area. This diverse wildflower planting will provide a nectar and pollen source for butterflies and other pollinators from May to October. Thanks to Erin Dentice and Jessica Maxwell for there leadership at Milwaukee Parkside and our amazing student volunteers from MUHS. We look forward to several planting projects with Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts this Spring.

Mulching the butterfly garden

Check out this short video about our educational program and planting

“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” -Mark 10:13

Fall Living Laudato Si’

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

Cristo Rey High School students helping seed the prairie (and mulch a nature trail)

Our MUHS boys helping with the woodland restoration

Our brave volunteers for the “Canticle of Creation” skit

This beautiful Fall weekend was truly a Living Laudato Si’ weekend. It was packed with action starting with our stewardship work day at the Schoenstatt Retreat Center. Student volunteer groups from both Cristo Rey High School and Marquette University High School helped with various projects on the Schoenstatt property. The first was the seeding of a 2 acre Oak Opening Prairie. These unique prairie ecosystems historically covered much of southern Wisconsin and have unique species that depend on them including many types of insects and birds. There are actually classified as the most endangered ecosystem type in the World (more than rainforests)! Thanks to the generosity of several donors, we were able to purchase and collect a diverse mixture of prairie wildflowers and grasses that do well in situations ranging from shade to full sun.

Our prairie seed mixing bin

Cristo Rey High School students helping seed the prairie

MUHS students helping seed the prairie

MUHS students helping mix the seed

We mixed the seed in an old landscape pond with a filler called vermiculite. This acts as a carrier for the smaller seed and helps you to seed more evenly. The trickiest part is to ensure that your seed lasts the entirety of the site and you don’t use it up too early. To avoid this, we set up flagged grid patterns and work methodically back and forth, spreading seed evenly to ensure good coverage.

If you have visited the Schoenstatt Property and are wondering where these sites are, refer the brochure map below. This map was created this summer as part of a pamphlet given to people on retreat. The brown arrows show the 2 sites.

map

After seeding the prairie, we headed across the property to our woodland restoration site. It was here that we continued maintenance on our nature trail and continued with invasive species removal. See our post from an Eagle Scout who made this site his project

The woodland nature trail

Our great volunteer group

Ready to cut some buckthorn

MUHS students helping mulch the nature trail

Cristo Rey High School students helping stack buckthorn

Mulching the nature trail

Removing buckthorn from the trail

The beautiful Kettle Moraine (in the distance is our woodland work site)

On Sunday, Laudato Si’ Project was invited to give a presentation to the parish on the encyclical Laudato Si’ and how to Live Laudato Si’ everyday. After mass, parishioners were invited to a hot breakfast followed by worship music and our presentation. Some religious education classes came to the presentation including their junior class of Confirmation students (who agreed to dress as characters of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation, from which Laudato Si’ gets its name: see picture below)

Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Random Lake, WI

A nice breakfast before the presentation

Confirmation students kicking off the morning with some worship music

Our brave volunteers for the “Canticle of Creation” skit

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

Posted on October 4, 2017October 2, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

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October 4th is the feast day of St. Francis, patron saint of animals and the environment. Many of us have seen his statue adorning gardens or quite places for reflection in nature. Our current Pope took his name to reflect the need to live simply, care for the poor, and find God in His Creation. Pope Francis’ encyclical named Laudato Si’ references St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon which begins “Praised be You my Lord…” (Laudato Si’ means Praise be You in medieval Italian)

Pope Francis also calls for a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on September 1st every year. It was on September 1st last year that he announced a new work of mercy in the Church, “Care for Our Common Home.” He then called for several week span to pray and reflect upon God’s gift of Creation for us in what he termed the “Season of Creation.” This Season of Creation comes to a close with this feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. Let’s pray the prayer St. Francis wrote “Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon”. While praying, realize that St. Francis was near his death upon writing this prayer, suffering greatly in his health and from the stigmata.

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings. To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, And fair and stormy, all weather’s moods, by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water, So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs. Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death, from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.

No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks, And serve Him with great humility.

Learn more about this amazing Saint Here

Below are pictures with our MUHS student group Caring for Creation by do water quality testing on the Menominee River in Milwaukee, WI.

MUHS students doing water quality monitoring on the Menominee River.

Water Quality Testing with MUHS

St. John Vianney 8th Grade Retreat

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Laudato Si Project

“It was a great time away from the pressures of the world to think about God’s Creation” -Adam

“I believe this experience has brought me closer to God and my faith. I learned that I can just sit in nature and listen to God” -Anonymous

“We need to care for and protect the intricate works of God in nature” -Sara

St. John Vianney 8th Grade Retreat

Laudato Si’ Project had the privilege of helping plan and lead the 8th grade retreat for St. John Vianney School. Our new partnership with St. John Vianney is the result of a program created by Marquette University High School and Laudato Si’ Project called “Our Common Home Explorer Program.” Laudato Si’ Project worked with St. John Vianney’s Youth Minister, Claire Hoffmeyer, to create a retreat experience focused on Care for Our Common Home. We wanted to create a retreat that would be prayerful, transformative, and fun. We call it “Contemplatives in Conservation.”

“I learned that caring for God’s Creation can affect others in a positive way” -Katie

“It was very reflective and a good time to collect my thoughts. God was telling me to be thankful for Creation. I learned that God needs us to care for Creation.” –Anne

“I heard God speaking to me about Care for Our Common Home” -Joe

“God needs our help to care for the Earth” -Amelia

“I can praise God with everything I do and with my talents” -Bridget

Finding God through beauty activity.

The retreat took place on the beautiful wooded grounds of the Pallottine Retreat Center in Elkhorn, WI. The retreat began with an intro to Laudato Si’, witness talk, ice breaker, and group activity about finding God through beauty. In that activity, student groups searched through magazines to find images of people, places, and nature that struck them as beautiful and reflected God in some way. They presented their collages explaining the beauty in each image and created a group prayer.

“This retreat helped me see God in nature” -Conor

“One take away is to be a good steward of this Earth” -Julian

“Everyone needs to pitch in to help our world” -Andrew

“This retreat was faith-filled and peaceful” -Annie

“One take away is that I should take time out of my day to pray” -Morgan

“My experience was reflective, peaceful, and fun. I liked it a lot and it was a great time to hear God.” –Theresa

The remainder of the morning was spent outside doing various stations focused on forming a relationship with God and His Creation. Stations were titled: Be Still, Pray, Meditate, Give Thanks, Imagine, and Mercy. At the end of the stations, students reflected upon their experience and received a Care for Our Common Home patch as a visible sign of their retreat experience. A wonderful lunch was provided and the day concluded with mass at the retreat center. Special thanks to all the St. John Vianney teachers and MUHS student Henry Rohmer, for helping make this day a memorable one for students.

Prayer Board

Stations during the retreat

Stations during the retreat

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar

Stations during the retreat

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillar

Stations during the retreat

“My experience was fantastic and I was blessed to have been here” -Erin

“It was really fun to connect with God. I heard him speak to me about how to serve him and to go out and do things for the needy” -Michael

“God spoke to me and told me to never lose faith” -Ainsleigh

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