| Mission
Our mission is to apply the teachings of Jesus Christ for the social, eco
nomic, and spiritual development of rural America.
CRL helps rural people shape their futures and lead lives of dignity and piety
by providing spiritual, educational and advocacy assistance.
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Dear Lord, You are wonderful in everything you do.
In marvelous ways You take the full, rich life of the plant and carefully fold it into tiny seeds.
When these are placed the earth they may look dry and dead, but when they are watered by the life-giving rain and nourished by the warm sun, they grow in an almost miraculous manner.
At this time of year we plant these seeds of food, flowers and life that You have given us.
Bless them, and watch over them, and bring them to the full growth and rich harvest that You wish to bless
us with.
Lord God, You have also given us the love to flower and fruit in the full Christian life that You intend for us here and hereafter.
Amen
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 Major Vatican Conference on Climate Change, April 28
The Vatican announced this week that it will host a one-day conference on climate change on April 28, featuring some of the world's leading climate scientists.
The conference is titled Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity and is subtitled "The moral dimensions of climate change and sustainable development."
The purpose of the conference is to help build a global movement across all religions for sustainable development and climate change throughout 2015 and beyond. Read more here.
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 5 reasons to care about creation
Earth Day is this coming Wednesday, and the world will pause to reflect on its relationship with creation.
For some, the secular bent of some elements of the environmentalism movement can be off-putting, but we should all be reminded that Catholicism has a long tradition of care for creation. CRL has put together a list of "5 Reasons Catholics should Care for Creation."
Check them out today!
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Upcoming deadlines: Federal Food & Farm Programs
Planting season is upon us -- which means deadlines for federal farm and food grant programs are, too!
For farmers, ranchers, and groups who work with producers, the next few months are critical for successfully completing these applications on time.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has compiled a list of upcoming deadlines for federal food and farm grant applications and grant assistance workshops. If you farm or work with farmers, consult this list and share with those you know.
The Coalition also provides a Grassroots Guide to Federal Farm and Food Programs for more information on how to apply. For those who want to learn what's possible, the guide provides examples of the types of projects and activities funded through each program.
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Faith, Food & Environment preparing for Milan 2015
The next step in CRL's Faith, Food & the Environment project is drawing near. CRL will host an international symposium in Milan in June 2015. Attendees will include international agriculturalists, theologians, food business executives, and public policy makers. Together, they'll look at what it means to be a Catholic in the food and ag sector, and how the faith informs their day to day operations.
The international symposium is building off of the 2014 symposium held in St. Paul, Minn (see the key outcomes here), as well as focus groups held with a variety of different stakeholders. The findings from the Faith, Food & the Environment initiative will be used to create the Vocation of the Agricultural Leader, a document that will compliment Pope Francis's forthcoming environmental encyclical and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace's recent publication on land and food. Check the dedicated website for regular updates!
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