Season of Creation
What is the Season of Creation?
In 2015, Pope Francis established September 1 as the annual “World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation” for the Roman Catholic Church. September 1 was already an official feast day in the Orthodox liturgical calendar, along with the liturgical calendars of many Protestant denominations. The Season of Creation, which begins on September 1 and runs through October 4 (the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi) is “a time of grace that the Church, in ecumenical dialogue, offers to humanity to renew its relationship with the Creator and with creation, through celebration, conversion and commitment together.” The international/ecumenical theme for the Season of Creation 2026 is Living Water, which “explores Ezekiel 47:9 and 12 as a powerful biblical vision of hope and ecological healing.” In 2026, the Feast of St. Francis on October 4 marks the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death.
For more information on the Season of Creation, see seasonofcreation.org
Click on the plus sign at the right edge of each listed event to see more information.
September 1 - "Wisdom of Wilderness" Zoom book discussion - session 1
Join us for four consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6-7:30pm Pacific Time for a discussion of Gerald May’s 2007 book The Wisdom of Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of Nature. The discussion leader will be Mary Litch. In this book, May describes his experiences in nature: what he learned about himself as a spiritual being and his relationship with God through solitude in a natural setting. While the Zoom book discussion series is a distinct event from the backcountry tent camping retreat (September 25-27), it is hoped that participants in the book discussion series will want to try out camping “alone” in the backcountry for themselves.
Registration is for the entire four-part series, which occurs on September 1, 8, 15, and 22. This first Zoom session covers the Forward, Preface, and Chapters 1 and 2. Please read these chapters prior to the Zoom.
During this first session, we will also cover details and offer advanced registration for the backcountry tent camping retreat. Registration for the backcountry tent camping retreat is separate; however, participants in the Zoom book discussion group get priority registration for the limited number of spots.
September 3 - Presentation by Scott Putnam
Time: 2:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Place: Johanna Room, Spirit Center
Join us for this presentation by documentary film producer Scott Putnam, which is being co-sponsored by the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude.
No registration is necessary, the event is free and open to the public.
More details to come!
September 5-7 - “Pray + Work” Retreat
Place: Spirit Center/monastery raspberry patch
Join retreat leader Mary Litch for a combination spiritual retreat and work weekend as we put St. Gertrude’s famous raspberry patch “to bed” for the fall.
Sessions will alternate between work in the patch cutting back the raspberry canes, and exercises to help you explore how the Mystery of Creation has shaped your personal spiritual journey. Indoor exercises include both meditation on brief passages and engaging with the multi-media artwork Passion of the Earth that is installed in the Spirit Center foyer.
Outdoor exercises will focus on building gratitude for creation, and experiencing oneself as part of creation. There will be opportunities for group sharing at the end of each day.
Participants will stay in the Spirit Center and join the Sisters for morning, mid-day, and evening prayers in the chapel, and for meals in the monastery dining room. The work portion of the retreat requires participants to be able to stoop or kneel for long periods of time, to cut 3/4-inch-thick raspberry canes off at ground level with hand pruning shears, and to handle those prickly raspberry canes.
Registration required. Please register only if you are physically capable of performing the gardening work described for 2 hours each day.
Limited to six participants.
September 8 - Wisdom of Wilderness Zoom book discussion, session 2
The second session of the book discussion on Gerald May’s “The Wisdom of Wilderness” will cover Chapters 3, 4 and 5.
(See the registration link under the first zoom meeting on September 1.)
September 12 - Pilgrimage Walk, Keuterville to St. Gertrude’s
Time: 11:00 AM (Pacific Time)
Place: Meet at Monastery of St. Gertrude outside chapel
The purpose of a pilgrimage walk, co-sponsored by St. Mary’s Parish, Cottonwood, is not physical exercise. Rather, a pilgrimage walk is an ancient spiritual practice that uses walking to a sacred destination as a metaphor and catalyst for an inward journey.
Join us for a pilgrimage walk from Holy Cross Chapel in Keuterville to the chapel at the Monastery of St. Gertrude. The route is 4.1 miles of relatively flat walking on mostly dirt roads. There are frequent distant views along the way of the Bitterroot Mountains.
At the end of the journey, the reliquary in the chapel at St. Gertrude’s will be open, and the front seating area of the chapel near the altar will be available for private prayer through the afternoon.
Bring a lawn chair, lunch, and a drink for yourself. Meet at the main parking area at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in front of the chapel at 11am for a brief talk on the history and purpose of pilgrimage walking, followed by time to eat the lunch you brought. At approximately 12:30, we will carpool to Keuterville and begin our pilgrimage walk.
The route will take the average walker between 90 minutes to two hours to complete. Carpool drivers will be shuttled back to Keuterville to pick up their vehicle. The chapel at St. Gertrude’s will be open until 4:45 for private prayer.
(To get the most out of the experience, we recommend you not come with a companion with the intention of engaging in conversation while walking. The point of a pilgrimage walk is the inward journey, not socializing or exercising.)
September 15 - Wisdom of Wilderness book discussion, session 3
The third session of the book discussion on Gerald May’s “The Wisdom of Wilderness” will cover Chapters 6, 7 and 8.
(See the registration link under the first zoom meeting on September 1.)
September 19 - Shoreline Clean Up
Time: 10:00 AM (Pacific Time)
Place: Tolo Lake
The theme for Season of Creation 2026 is “Living Water.” What better way to celebrate this year’s theme than to help repair damage to God’s wondrous Creation by picking up litter around our nearest public body of water, Tolo Lake.
In addition to picking up litter, event leaders will start by describing the biological diversity around the lake and the importance of Tolo Lake to the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) people.
Bring sturdy walking shoes and gloves. Meet at the Tolo Lake parking area. Trash bags will be provided. The work should be complete by noon.
Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at Tolo Lake after the work event is over.
No registration is necessary.
September 22 - Wisdom of Wilderness book discussion, session 4
The fourth/final session of the book discussion on Gerald May’s “The Wisdom of Wilderness” will cover Chapters 9, 10, and 11, as well as logistics for the backcountry tent camping retreat, for those who have also registered for that event.
(See the registration link under the first zoom meeting on September 1.)
September 25-27 - Backcountry tent camping retreat
Location: Fish Creek Group Site in Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
Gerald May’s book The Wisdom of Wilderness is a natural lead-in to a backcountry tent camping retreat. We have reservations at Fish Creek Group Site, a very large forested area with dozens of sites to set up a tent away from the other participants: far enough away, anyhow, that it will feel like solo tent camping, not group tent camping.
Participants will supply their own tent, camp chair, sleeping bag, and ground pad or air mattress, dishes, silverware, travel mug, and potable water. There will be a potluck meal on Friday, September 25. All other meals will be supplied by the leader, and will be a simple vegetarian fare.
A daily menu list will be supplied ahead of time. Participants preferring other food are welcome to bring and prepare meals on their own.
There are many hiking opportunities in the area. Participants may join in group hikes, or choose to spend more time in solitude, coming together only for meals.
The Fish Creek Group Site is just ten miles from Grangeville and is accessible by passenger car. (Driving directions will be supplied to registrants.)
Plan on arriving anytime after 3pm on Friday, September 25. Bring an item to contribute to the potluck supper that begins at 6pm. Give yourself enough time to select a site and set up your tent before it gets too dark.
The group site is many acres is size, with lots of spots for a private tent site. There are two pit toilet structures at each end of the group site, but no running water. This event is for tent camping only.
Being in a metal and plastic box (ie, an RV, camping trailer, or camper) off the ground changes the experience radically, so please leave your RV at home.
The event ends Sunday afternoon.
We hope this is an easy “first time” backcountry tent camping experience for those who would like to try it, but want the safety and convenience that Fish Creek Group Site offers. Limited to 20 tent campers.
Registration will initially be open only to participants in the Zoom book discussion group. Registration for any remaining open slots will become available in mid-September.
October 3 - Panel discussion on “The Mystery of Creation”
Time: 1:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Place: Johanna Room, Spirit Center
“What has the Mystery of Creation meant to you on your personal spiritual journey?”
Each of the three invited speakers will have 20-ish minutes to answer this question, followed by Q&A.
No registration required. The event is free and open to the public. (Part of the Fall Oblate Retreat at the monastery.)
October 3 - Blessing of the Forest and reception at cabin
Time: Immediately following “The Mystery of Creation” panel discussion (approximately 2:30)
Place: Meet at the side entrance to the monastery chapel
Join us for our Blessing of the Forest, followed by a simple reception (cookies, punch, and conversation) at Our Lady of the Pines cabin.
The cabin is a significant walk up the hill behind the monastery on a rough dirt road, well past the cemetery. A car shuttle will be available for those who cannot walk up/down the hill.
Please do not drive up the hill in your private car, as there is very limited parking at the cabin.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration required.
October 4 - Feast of St. Francis of Assisi - Blessing of Animals
Time: 2:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Place: Lawn area near parking lot near monastery chapel (see signs).
Bring your well-behaved, leashed dogs for this first-ever blessing of the animals at the Center for Benedictine Life, co-sponsored by St. Mary’s Parish, Cottonwood.
Before and after the blessing, you are welcome to walk your dog in the park area at the front of the monastery. (This is the area with the mown grass lawn just south of the parking area.) It is requested that dogs not be walked in other areas around the monastery.
Owners are asked to pick up after their dogs (plastic bags and trash bins will be provided), and keep their dogs leashed at all times.
This event is free and open to the public. No registration required.