DIOCESE OF GREAT FALLS-BILLINGS, MONTANA
Celebrating Rural Life Sunday

For the past five years, the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings has celebrated Rural Life Sunday. This year’s celebration was April 27 and coincided with the beginning of Stewardship Week, an annual recognition promoted by the National Association of Conservation Districts. (See www.nacdnet.org/stewardship/2008/) The theme of the 2008 Stewardship Week – "Water is Life" – is most appropriate for eastern Montana farmers, ranchers and rural communities, who continue to cope with prolonged drought conditions.

The Diocesan Catholic Rural Life Conference coordinates efforts for the celebration of Rural Life Sunday and distributed an informational packet to parishes containing liturgical suggestions, bulletin inserts and Green Ribbon Campaign information. In one way or another, all parishes and missions in the diocese are encouraged to recognize the struggles of our farmers, ranchers and rural communities through intercessions at Mass on April 27.

In past years, parishes and missions have celebrated in various ways: blessing of
seeds, soil, water, equipment and livestock; Mass on a farm or ranch; and ecumenical community gatherings and worship services. There are no set rules. Some parishes and missions celebrate Rural Life Sundays as appropriate to them – for example, when they celebrate harvest Sundays later in the year.

As a rural diocese, it is important that we set aside one day to recognize and celebrate the trinity of God, people and nature. As stewards of the earth, we remind ourselves daily that the fertility of the soil and purity of water are our heritage and should not be destroyed. Our opportunity is to renew our efforts and dedicate ourselves to the task of using wisely the resources over which we have been granted stewardship.

For more information about Montana rural life, contact Dan Dutton, chairman, Diocesan Rural Life Conference at (406) 664-3000 or circled@nemont.net.


National Catholic Rural Life Conference
4625 Beaver Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50310-2199
(515) 270-2634
email address: info@ncrlc.com
website: www.ncrlc.com

This article was published in the Spring 2008 issue of Catholic Rural Life©. No portion of this article may be reproduced without written permission from The National Catholic Rural Life Conference. To purchase the Spring 2008 issue of Catholic Rural Life, please contact The National Catholic Rural Life Conference office at 4625 Beaver Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50310-2199, call (515) 270-2634, or e-mail info@ncrlc.com. The cost is $2.50 an issue plus postage and handling.