Season of Creation
The Season of Creation is the annual Christian celebration to listen and respond together to the cry of Creation: the ecumenical family around the world unites to pray and protect our common home, the Oikos of God.
The Season “Celebration” began September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends October 4, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology beloved by many Christian denominations.
Season of Creation 2026 Diocesan Mass
On Friday, August 21, 2026 the St Joseph’s Primary School Red Cliffs community joined with St Joseph the Worker Church community and Sunraysia Parish to celebrate the Ballarat Diocesan Social Justice Commission’s Season of Creation Mass. Celebrated by Bishop Mark Freeman and Fr Bill Lowry, the beautiful liturgy focused on the gift of life-giving, nourishing and living water.
The global Season of Creation runs from September 1, which marks the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, through to October 4, the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, uniting Christians in prayer and action to protect our common home. This early Diocesan mass offered an inspiring launch for local celebrations.
In his homily, Bishop Mark reminded us that water is a sacred gift from God, providing nourishment, habitat, enjoyment, and life across our diocese—stretching “from the Murray to the sea!” He encouraged everyone to honour this divine blessing by using water wisely and mindfully in daily life, recognizing that our well-being is permanently interwoven with the health of the earth.
The gathering also marked a major milestone as the school community celebrated the retirement of beloved leader Janice Divola. Janice concluded an incredible 40-year tenure at St Joseph’s, serving with great distinction as both Religious Education Leader, Learning Diversity Leader and Wellbeing Leader. The deep community affection was evident in heartfelt speeches from the youngest students to past staff. While she will be missed immensely, we wish Janice every happiness in her well-deserved retirement.
The Ballarat Diocesan Social Justice Commission extends its heartfelt thanks to the Red Cliffs and Sunraysia communities for their exceptionally warm hospitality. In particular, we thank Naomi Kennedy, Principal of St Joseph’s Primary School, and her wonderful team of staff and students who brought this momentous celebration to life.
Watch online & looking ahead
- Watch the replay: If you missed the live broadcast, the recording is available via the Diocesan website here.
- Save the date for 2027: Next year’s mass will be held centrally in the Ballarat area. Central zone schools and parishes are encouraged to note this in their Term 3 calendars, as we hope to have many student and staff representatives join us in person for mass and a picnic to follow. Official dates will be shared soon.
- Share your stories: Please share your own school community’s Season of Creation celebrations and events throughout the coming weeks!
[Photos sourced from the Facebook post of St Joseph’s Primary School, Red Cliffs]
The Ballarat Diocesan Social Justice Commission invites all members of our parishes and schools to the Diocesan Season of Creation Mass to be held on Friday, August 21, 2026 at 9.15am at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, 149 Calder Highway, Red Cliffs.
The Diocesan Season of Creation Mass is in its second year and it is planned to hold the Mass around the diocese every second year.
This event will be livestreamed for participation across the diocese – https://evt.live/season-of-creation-mass
Season of Creation Celebration Guide
The Celebration Guide for the Season of Creation 2026 is now available.
Be inspired, organize your community, and join us on this journey of hope and care for our common home.
May living water renew our relationship with creation and inspire us to act with love, responsibility and faith.
Liturgical Resources
Resources to assist with the celebration of the Season of Creation are available from the website:
Season of Creation 2026 Prayer
Living Water
Holy God, whose Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning, we gather as part
of your community of all creation, thirsty for your grace. We give thanks for the gift
of water, the veins of our common home, that sustains the cedar and the whale, the
pasture and the city. We are grateful for the local waters that nourish our
homelands and our fellow creatures. We give thanks that in your well-watered
garden, every drop is a sacred testament to your love.
Yet, we confess that we have treated this gift as a mere commodity. We have
choked the seas with our waste and watched the warming tides rise in judgment.
We lament the cracked earth of the drought-stricken and the salty tears of the
climate refugee. Melt our frozen hearts, O God, and let the waters of repentance flow.
Lord of all Life, you promised that wherever the river flows, everything shall live.
Stir in us a calling to care for the waters — to protect the watershed, defend the
rights of water, and honor the dignity of the thirsty. May your Word be a spring
within us, gushing forth for the healing of the nations.
May God our Father who brought water from the rock sustain us in the desert. May
Christ our Lord who is Living Water refresh us for the work of restoration. And may
the Holy Spirit carry us on currents of grace until justice rolls down like waters and
righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amen.
A national Catholic gathering on integral ecology
The Catholic Earthcare Season of Creation Gathering is an endorsed Caritas Australia initiative, supported by the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, and delivered in partnership with Catholic Religious Australia.
This online gathering aims to bring together participants from across Australia to deepen formation and inspire practical ecological action grounded in faith on September 3 & 4, 2026 from 10.30am – 4.30pm both days.
Click on the image below for more information on the gathering:
