Saint Francis wrote the beautiful ‘Canticle of Brother Sun’ towards the end of his life. It took a lifetime for Francis, a great Saint, to come to fully realise the intimate connectedness of all creation. We, as children of the God who created all we see and know, are called to care for this creation. To be good stewards who promote well-being for all of God’s creatures. In a throw-away global culture driven by excess and the need to consume, this message holds particular significance and value. It is a call to live in balance and harmony, a call to live with awareness and sensitivity, a call to speak out in favour of the protection of God’s creation. We are called to live in such a way that we facilitate, promote and support the on-going creativity of the Trinity in our world and in each other.

Pope Francis took up this theme in his encyclical Laudato Sii. This document reminds us of our responsibility to care for our ‘Common Home’ as Pope Francis called the Earth. You can read the full text here: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html

The Canticle of the Creatures – Celebrating 800 years in 2025

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory,
and the honour and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong
and no human is worthy to mention Your name.

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 splendour;
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.
Praised be You, my Lord,
through Brother Wind,
and through the air, cloudy and serene,
and every kind of weather
through which you give sustance to your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through Sister water,
who is very useful and humble
and precious and chaste.
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,
and who produces various fruit
with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through those who give pardon for Your love,
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed those who endure in peace,
for by You, Most High, shall they be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord,
through our Sister Bodily Death,
from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death
will find in Your most holy will,
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.