The Very Rev. Thomas A. Baima, provost, joined His Eminence, Metropolitan Nathanael, the Greek Orthodox Primate of the Metropolis of Chicago and the Most Rev. Mark Bartosic, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago for an ecumenical celebration of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on Monday, August 31, 2020. The vespers service took place at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview.
This is the sixth joint service between the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis since His Holiness, Pope Francis, declared September 1st to be the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. The first vesper service was held in 2015 in the courtyard shrine of Holy Name Cathedral, with the Rev. Bradley Zamora as celebrant. The Very Rev. John Kartje delivered the address on Laudato Si’ They were joined by the dean of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
Since that beginning, Fr. Jeremiah Boland at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview has collaborated with Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, currently pastored by Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews to offer the annual ecumenical service. The parishes alternate as the venue for the prayer.
“This is a real example of ecumenism at the parochial level,” Father Baima noted. “Pope Francis has suggested that finding opportunities to pray and work together builds the kind of relationship which heal our divisions. The pastors of these two parishes have certainly done this. This annual event is building relationships between the two communities.”
Read Bishop Bartosic’s address at this year’s vespers.
