By Christina Bagaglio Slentz
SAN DIEGO — This fall, the Creation Care Ministry again welcomed the artistic talents of our diocesan youth in our annual Season of Creation Art Contest.
The contest, which had as a theme “A Celebration of Biodiversity,” inspired 162 entries from 20 schools and parishes. The following winners received prizes totaling $300 and were recognized at our Feast of St. Francis Festival on Oct. 6:
4th-5th Grades
- Charlene Wang, All Hallows Academy — First Place
- Jade Potocki, St. James Academy — Second Place
6th-8th Grades
- Hailey Manatt, The School of the Madeleine — First Place
- Tai Nieman, All Hallows Academy — Second Place
9th-10th Grades
- Lucy Rojas-Morgan, Academy of Our Lady of Peace — First Place
- Grace White, Academy of Our Lady of Peace — Second Place
11th-12th Grades
- Claira Silady, Academy of Our Lady of Peace — First Place
- Sophia Bonde, Academy of Our Lady of Peace — Second Place
Two ‘Voices’ Silenced by Crisis
In addition to their artwork, students submitted faith reflections, describing the inspiration behind their pieces.
“Creation care is a worldwide approach for us as human stewards to care for animals, plants, our water and other natural resources,” wrote eighth-grader Ayla Powers of St. Gregory the Great School.
Second-place winner Tai Nieman cited Psalm 120:1-2: “I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains; from thence help will come to me. My help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth.” He explained further in his own words, “God created everything. He will help you when things are difficult.”
In “Laudato Si,” we are reminded that during our youth, many feel more easily connected to the awe and wonder of nature. Middle-schooler RJ Noonan, from St. Columba, insightfully combined perspectives of faith and science, sharing: “A lonely mushroom in the forest. Mushrooms play an important[,] key role in the soil and ecosystem. I am like this lonely mushroom, slowly adapting while making a difference in this world.”
Similarly, winner Claira Silady explained, “I was inspired to paint a sea turtle because of my love for marine biology and the biodiversity that sea turtles bring to the ocean. For example, sea turtles exemplify biodiversity through their grazing of seagrass and seaweed, helping maintain and trim the seagrass. This seagrass is a very important part of the ocean’s ecosystem, as it provides a habitat that protects many different sea animals.”
Pope Francis has identified the “voice” of the youth and the “voice” of biodiversity as two “voices” being silenced by human-caused environmental degradation. Increasingly, climate change drives the intensity and frequency of natural disasters, casting a dark shadow on the future of our young.
Simultaneously, the U.N. reports our collective lack of responsible stewardship has produced “altered marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems,” to the extent that we have caused “loss of local species, increased diseases, and mass mortality of plants and animals, resulting in the first climate-driven extinctions.”
Scientists also report, however, that restoring the ecosystems that support biodiversity will reduce about one-third of the emissions we need to eliminate in order to change our trajectory — that means bringing back forests, wetlands, seagrasses and mangroves.
Many Ways to Act
This information can be overwhelming, but fear not! By developing a sense of eco-spirituality through prayerful engagement with the natural world, we grow in capacity to discover God in all things, strengthening our willingness to take action. In fact, our art contest is a key action defined by our diocesan “Laudato Si” Action Plan. So, if spirituality is more your area of expertise than forest restoration, you too can help in a powerful way. Consider promoting creation-based liturgical celebrations, developing ecological catechesis, and/or holding or attending retreats to share this spirituality with others.
