Sunday, February 22, 2026
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Opening our Senses to the Call of Socio-Ecological Justice
“We are faced not with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather with one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.” (LS, 139)
Pope Leo XIV gave us a meaningful message for Lent Season recognizing the opportunities for the people of God to listen, to fast and to work together. He highlighted the importance of listening that comes from the heart where our thoughts, and actions come from. He talked about the transformation and liberation from the enslavement of people of God from what is hateful to what is loving. He emphasized in his message about being able to listen to the Word in the liturgy, pondering about the reality, fasting to build discipline of our hunger for justice, to be active in our care of our neighbor even those we cannot see and those who cannot defend themselves. He invited us to be practical in addressing the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth. Our words, works of kindness through fasting and communion will pave way to build the paths of hope, peace and the civilization of love. He ended his message that our reconciliation with God through our works in justice will be a grace for the lent.
By allocating time to listen, we give the opportunity to the Holy Spirit to speak to us. We are able to identify the needs of our brothers and sisters including our mother earth. When people act together, the challenge or issue that created such problem will eventually start to lose its power.
As Pope Leo XIV opens this season with the call to respond to justice, we can open ourselves to an opportunity to pause and listen to what we are seeing, hearing, and feeling. As Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew 13:16, the followers of the Incarnate Word have been blessed with senses that are open to see and hear for the benefit of the Reign of God. God is able to reign in our midst given the space that we allow ourselves to listen and act on our call to be just, to be the voice for the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor which are ultimately one issue as these are related. We cannot fully and authentically address one without the other. As Pope Francis reminds us, in his letter or encyclical "Laudato Si'", that the root of this social and environmental crisis, is the spiritual crisis. We need to look deeper what is causing the destruction, the dismissal, the throw away culture:
Laudato Si' Article 9
At the same time, (Ecumenical Patriarch) Bartholomew has drawn attention to the ethical and spiritual roots of environmental problems, which require that we look for solutions not only in technology but in a change of humanity; otherwise we would be dealing merely with symptoms. He asks us to replace consumption with sacrifice, greed with generosity, wastefulness with a spirit of sharing, an asceticism which “entails learning to give, and not simply to give up. It is a way of loving, of moving gradually away from what I want to what God’s world needs. It is liberation from fear, greed and compulsion”...
When we learn to discipline our appetite for pleasures, we learn to love God and care about others. We can only see this, when we look into our interior.
- Listen to your heart.
- Listen to your surrounding.
- How are you taking care of yourself from within and without?
- How do you feel with the words you use with your neighbors?
- What is your relationship with the "world" around you (people, and Mother earth)?
- Do you witness a life in solidarity with the poor and earth, our most vulnerable?
- Do you care to spend or use resources to build the Reign of God out of the goodness of heart doing good deeds, and making use of sustainable practices?
What is happening in the Global South being the most vulnerable to Climate Change is real. Those that will be affected by rising of sea levels will eventually be forced to move to other places for refuge. I recently visited Philippines and I took some photos of some of the houses that are flooded with waters. The government raised the street level while the water remains on both side of the streets. The local residents have to take care of their houses by reconstruction to elevate their houses or by building a second floor. Some are not able to afford and bear the consequence of living with water in their houses. Every time there is a rain, it increases the flood level. For those who are able to afford to leave their uninhabitable houses, they have the option to seek a safer place. For those who cannot, they stay with the inconvenience of flooded water or they are at the mercy of their neighbors, relatives or friends.
The cry of the poor and the earth are social and environmental.
What do you feel about these images? What are you being invited to listen, to fast, and to work with somebody or organization?
Below are some of the resources that can be used for reflection grounded in our call to socio-ecological conversion. Our conversion affects the others. Every action is relational which means our choices will affect another entity. How is our action affecting the other?
- Joint Reflection- Ecological Conversion 02-17-2026.pdf
- 4 Thematic Spiritual Retreats to Reconcile with Ourselves, with Others, with Creation and with God
Read More:
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Beach Clean up in the Village of Surfside, Texas on February 22 2-4pm
A Message from Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston
Join us to clean up the beach! Trash on the beach pollutes water, air & soil and harms wildlife and people. Every piece of trash picked up is one less piece of pollution. Join us for a Beach Clean-Up at Surfside Beach in the Village of Surfside, Texas on Sunday, February 22 from 2 - 4 p.m. Come by yourself, bring your family/friends or get a group together from your faith community or civic organization! We hope you’re able to join us!
Join us to clean up the beach!
Trash on the beach pollutes water, air & soil and harms wildlife and people. Every piece of trash picked up is one less piece of pollution. Join us for a Beach Clean-Up at Surfside Beach in the Village of Surfside, Texas on Sunday, February 22 from 2 - 4 p.m.
Come by yourself, bring your family/friends or get a group together from your faith community or civic organization!
We hope you’re able to join us!
Beach Clean-Up
Surfside Beach
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Why Nuclear Power Is NOT a Climate Solution
2/13 Online Forum With Experts
Why Nuclear Power Is NOT
a Climate Solution
Expanding New York’s Nuclear Industry Will Raise Emissions, Cause Thermal Pollution, and Undermine Renewables, Putting ClimatevGoals Out of Reach.
Join us on Friday, February 13 at 4 pm Eastern time for an interactive Zoom webinar with leading experts presenting current evidence that expanding nuclear power in New York and nationally will actually make climate change worse, not better. Presenters include:
Marvin Resnikoff – Nuclear physicist, international consultant on radioactive waste management issues, science director of Sierra Club’s Radioactive Waste Campaign which was responsible for closing the Nuclear Fuel Services reprocessing plant in West Valley, NY.
Susan H. Shapiro --New York State environmental attorney specializing in land use and water protection, co-counsel in litigation to stop Indian Point’s violation of the Clean Water Act and thermal pollution of the Hudson River, and an expert on nuclear’s climate impacts.
Lance Gould (Moderator) -- Journalist and founder/CEO of Brooklyn Story Lab.
The webinar is free. Registration is required; please register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iAz24GIjQnWM30KsTPCJTg#/registration
Pax Christi Forum: Blessed are the Peacemakers
Pax Christi Texas invites you to join in prayer for all who are victims of violence. We ask you to take a few moments this Tuesday evening to reflect and petition for Peace.
Pray Study Act is a motto of Pax Christi and leaders from Pax Christi Texas will share prayers and reflections.
We ask for forgiveness and for the Peace of Christ for victims of war and for immigrants and their families.
On Tuesday evening February 10, 2026, at 7– 7:30 pm CST, we will pray, repent and ask you to reflect with us.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85101844957?pwd=JvBamQcC4OSZQa2DAVyVDzS4LEajqz.1
Meeting ID: 851 0184 4957
Passcode: 338843
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85101844957?pwd=JvBamQcC4OSZQa2DAVyVDzS4LEajqz.1
Meeting ID: 851 0184 4957
Passcode: 338843
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