“Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth” Reading Group
4-week Environmental Justice Reading Group
Sunday, March 1 through 22, 2026*
5:30 to 7:00 P.M. - Online Only
Noel Terranova
St. Francis of Assisi was an ecological visionary who, over 800 years ago, set the church on a path of spiritual, theological, and ecological wholeness. His vision was the foundation of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’ and Pope Leo XIV recently declared this year in the Church the “Year of St. Francis." In this online Lenten book group, we will read together an excellent contemporary unpacking of St. Francis’ ecological legacy, Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth, co-authored by three luminaries of Franciscan studies: Ilia Delio, OSF; Keith Douglass Warner, O.F.M.; and Pamela Wood. The book is available for purchase in the Holy Family bookstore.
The program will be offered online only via the Zoom platform. Information on how to access the series will be provided to participants before the first meeting.
This group is free and open to all. Please register to join. Optional free-will offerings will be accepted with gratitude.
* Class dates: March 1, 8, 15, 22, 2026
If you are unable to attend online on Sundays but are interested in this content, the recording of each meeting will be shared with all participants weekly so you can still follow along on your own time. Please register as an online participant to receive these recordings.
Presenter Profiles
Noel Terranova
Noel Terranova is a retreat team member at Holy Family. He studied theology and liberal arts as an undergraduate at Villanova University and holds a Master of Theological Studies degree from Notre Dame. Prior to joining the retreat team in 2021, Noel served as the editor of the online publication, FaithND, and as a residence hall rector at the University of Notre Dame. He also worked as the university liturgist in the Office of Campus Ministry at Villanova. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in theology, also from Notre Dame, with a concentration in Liturgical Studies. His research focuses on Catholic sacramental theology after Vatican II and contemporary continental philosophy.