Climate Mass

This new text is inspired by Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, Laudato si'. The piece is in the tradition of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem, Paul Winter et al.'s Missa Gaia, and other works that combine religious or liturgical text with additional language that reflects on the meaning of the liturgical words. In Laudato si', Pope Francis implores all people of the world to respond to both the "cry of the earth" and the "cry of the poor" by implementing policies of environmental and social justice. In the encyclical, Pope Francis analyzes how the degradation of the earth harms the world's most marginalized peoples. At the same time, he inspires us to work for a better future, when "care for the vulnerable" and care for the earth are made possible by an "integral ecology" and a mindset of responsible stewardship. With the words and music of the Climate Mass, Notareschi and poet Alyse Knorr hope to join the Laudato si' movement in stirring audiences to action for both people and the earth.

Instrumental parts are available for rental from the publisher.