Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality Reading Group
4-week Environmental Justice Reading Group
Sunday, March 1 through 22, 2026*
5:30 to 7:00 P.M. In-person or Online
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’. In this Lenten book group we will read together an excellent contemporary unpacking of St. Francis’ ecological legacy, co-authored by three luminaries of Franciscan studies: Ilia Delio, OSF; Keith Douglass Warner, OFM; and Pamela Wood. Our reading, dialogue, and prayer together will inspire personal transformation and communal action to care for God’s creation.
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
** For those interested in participating virtually, this series will simultaneously be offered online via the Zoom platform. Information on how to access the series will be provided to participants before the first meeting.
If you are unable to attend in person or 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.
Dietary restrictions? Holy Family is committed to making your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible, and to that end, we can accommodate most dietary needs. Please email Ted, our registrar, at tjastrzebski@holyfamilyretreat.org, if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, so that we may make preparations in advance of your retreat.