As people of faith, we hear the cries of the people and our planet. And we hear the call to engage decision makers in efforts to create an economy of inclusion, and to act boldly to ensure the well being of God’s creation and all people who dwell in it. In this spirit, we write to invite you to

“The Whole Creation: A Faith Summit on the Environment and the Economy,”
February 21, 2016, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church
4741 Bald Eagle Avenue
White Bear Lake, MN 55110.

In a state where there is tremendous abundance, we encounter too many people in our congregations and communities that work every day but lack basic protections like earned sick time and paid family leave.  We encounter too many people who turn to predatory pay day loans when their wages fail to keep up with basic expenses, and we watch them struggle to remove themselves from a cycle of debt.

And we hear the call from Pope Francis, who urges us to take bold steps to heal our planet in Laudato Si, “The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.

On February 21, we want to be in dialogue with you about how to address these basic challenges that keep people from living in the full dignity God desires for them.