Saints Francis and Clare had a relational understanding of creation. All creatures, from the smallest to “our Sister, Mother Earth,” were sisters and brothers, part of the very family of God. Because of this, Francis was named the patron saint of ecology by Pope John Paul II. Members of this fellowship ministry volunteer their time to that same relational understanding through the care of the outdoor spaces around our parish, especially at the North Campus. The group also tends a community garden featuring dozens of flowers, fruits, and vegetables, in addition to assisting with a bee hives that provide honey sold semi-annually in the Sacred Heart Gift & Book Store. “St. Francis shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.” | Pope Francis, Laudato Si #10