As Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year, we have a unique opportunity to reflect and grow in our faith. This is also the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ On Care for Our Common Home and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation. Studies have shown that being out in nature impacts our mental and physical health and we know as people of faith, being in Creation also brings us closer to God and one another! Our diocese joins these efforts by participating in the national Catholic Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation as we hope for a new way forward together as a world, Church, and family.
Creation Camino Challenge Signup
Looking for a fun way to reconnect to faith & family & wellness in the great outdoors? Join our Creation Camino Challenge!
Sign up your family for either:
- Saturday, September 13 at Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim
- Saturday, September 27 at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach.
Spots are limited, so register soon!
Laudato Si’ Challenge
Join the Creation Camino Challenge on your own starting on:
- Laudato Si’ Week at the end of May ending on the last day of the Season of Creation, St. Francis of Assisi’s Feast Day (October 4th)
Do one of the reflections/prayers and mental wellness exercises from the field guide during your visit. Plus, you can bring a book from our suggested reads in the Laudato Si’ Library list.
Join the Creation Camino Challenge!
Grab your family or a group of friends…
Download the field guide and head out to a natural space in your neighborhood or use some of the suggestions on our “Let’s Go Outside” section.
Do one of the reflections/prayers and mental wellness exercises from the field guide during your visit.
Snap a photo of you, your friends, and family participating and post to our diocesan socials with #CreationCamino to be entered to win some eco friendly prizes!
LET’S GO OUTSIDE, OC!
Get inspired by these outdoor spaces in our local Creation for the whole family to explore… these are just a few of many! Or find a park, garden, or trail in your neighborhood…
Most of these spots also host special events and camps for families & kids year-round too!
Even more trails, outdoor spaces, and events can be found on OC Parks.com
OC Parks Pass (for OC parks & beaches)
* Senior (60+ years)/persons with disabilities: $50 Distinguished Veteran: No fee
**OC Public Libraries lend out CA State Parks Passes for free! Reserve ahead.
North Orange County
Anaheim: Oak Canyon Nature Center, Anaheim
Free Admission, suggested donation
Brea: Carbon Canyon Regional Park
Check out the only grove of redwoods in OC!
Fullerton: Cal State Fullerton Arboreum & Botanical Garden, Fullerton
Free Admission, suggested donation
Acacia Park & Fullerton Creek Trail
Free Admission, check out the Giant Wooly Mammoth in the playground!
Robert Ward Nature Preserve/West Coyote Hills Trail
Huntington Beach: Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach
Free, suggested donation. Check out the cool critters in the educational center.
Shipley Nature Center
Free, suggested donation
Orange: Orange County Zoo, Orange
Say hello to lots of local furry friends, native to our region, including mountain lions, (no tigers), but black bears- oh my!
Orange Home Grown, Orange
Produce from this education farm sold at weekly Saturday farmers market on Lemon Street in Orange. Check out the yummy recipes from local vendors & OC agricultural history in their cookbook. You & your family can even come volunteer to plant & help in the garden on Fridays!
Placentia: Tri-City Park
Free Admission. Conveniently located off Imperial Highway between 3-cities; Placentia, Fullerton, & Brea.
Santa Ana: Santiago Park
Free Admission. Within walking of the Discover Cube/Science Center. Great walking paths & adjacent to what once was the rushing Santa Ana River many years ago.
South Orange County
Costa Mesa & Irvine: Irvine Park
Oldest park in OC, established in 1867!
Irvine Ranch Open Space
Featuring 40,000 acres in the foothills of OC, bordering the Cleveland National Forest. Trails range in difficulty and most can be walked, biked, or by horse. Some of our oldest rock formations & fossils can be found in this area, dating back 80 million years!
Centennial Farm, OC Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa
Free Admission, educational programs, farm animals, & more!
Tanaka Farms, Irvine & Hana Fields, Costa Mesa
U-pick options from pumpkins to produce to take home
Turtle Rock Nature Center, Irvine
Enjoy the educational center and 1. 7 mile easy loop!
Orange Coast College Planetarium, Costa Mesa
Free monthly telescope nights! And various shows throughout the year.
Laguna: Crystal Cove State Park, Laguna Beach
Enjoy tidepools & keep an eye out for whales!
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park
One of the last remaining coastal canyons in Southern California. Over 40 miles of trails.
The Victoria Beach “Pirate Tower”, Laguna Beach
You can use trolly for beach access
Newport Beach: Newport Back Bay Conservancy
Check out offerings such as Kayak tours and “Friends” Hikes in one of few remaining wetlands in our state
San Juan Capistrano: There are many trails basing out of San Juan Capistrano, you can even take the train and be within short distance of your hiking destination! In March, check out the Mission Basilica for the migratory return of the swallows.
Looking to take a Creation Camino outside of OC on a bigger adventure?
- National Park Service– Did you know CA is home to 9 National Parks? 4th Graders get in free! Senior and Veteran Discounts too.
- California State Parks
- Santiago Retreat Center, Silverado
- Sacred Heart Retreat Camp, Big Bear
- Windswept Treks
- JPII Outdoor Retreats
- Cor Expeditions
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
“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” (LS 13). -Pope Francis
Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home
Laudato Si: On Care for our Common Home | USCCB
Learn more about this document & the film, “The Letter” at: rcbo.org/laudato-si
- Join our SoCal Laudato’ Si Chapter led by Young Adult Leader, Janielle: https://groupme.com/join_group/101030196/fNb0XecB
- Francis/Laudato Si’ Climate Action Pledges | Catholic Climate Covenant
- Youth And Young Adults | Catholic Climate Covenant
- Green Goals | Catholic Climate Covenant
- Resources – Laudato Si’ Movement
- St. Joseph Justice Center-Environmental Justice & Ecology
- Food & Water Watch
- Kiss the Ground for Regeneration– including Children’s Resources
- Amigos de Bolsa Chica
- Cleanup OC – Orange County Coastkeeper
Commute Green Around OC
COMMUTE GREEN AROUND OC & spend more time together as a family without the hassle of being in the driver’s seat!
- Orange County Transportation Authority *Kids ride OC Buses free!
- Amtrak Pacific Surfliner *Great offers and discounts, including kids, students, & seniors!
- Public Access Guides to California’s Coast
Play & Care for Creation
Growing a Green Home & Community
- OC Office of Sustainability Learn about where to get free compost and mulch and how the organics recycling works in our county in addition to proper ways to dispose of waste that keeps us and our planet safe.
- OC Food Recovery Program Learn about how restaurants & community partners are lowering food waste & feeding those in need.
- OC Recycle Guide Not sure which item goes in which bin? Want waste to have a chance to be reused? Learn more here!
- Seafood Watch, Monterey Bay Aquarium– learn safety tips for you & your family.
- Franciscan Peacemakers Earth friendly soaps, lotions, & more- supports those impacted by Human Trafficking.
- Casa Teresa Thrift Store Donate your gently used clothes and go on an upcycled shopping spree! All proceeds go towards non profit pregnant women’s shelter, Casa Teresa. Right off the Orange Circle.
- ECO Now Multiple local OC locations featuring ecofriendly household items & pop-up workshops. If you participate in their TerraCycle program, bringing in take-back containers, you can earn eco-point store credit!
- Green America-Green Living Tips & tricks from sustainable shopping, food, & kid’s activities!
- Flex Alert Especially for summer months, sign up to receive notifications. When Californians reduce electricity use during a Flex Alert, it can prevent more dire emergency measures, including rotating power outages.
- Ethix Merch Ethix Merch has spent the last two decades committing to our mission by refusing to source any products that fail to adhere to our established standards of fair labor and environmental sustainability.
- CEPA Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance For campuses & institutions. The Alliance provides support to institutions seeking to integrate these values into their purchasing through educational resources and immersive formational opportunities, networking, and mentorship to support efforts to institutionalize.
- Ocean Bottle Co. Not only are these created sustainably with recycled materials, but a kick back goes towards removing plastic from our oceans. Youth and Senior discounts available.
