St. Leo Parish, a Greening Congregation, maintains 40 beehives as part of a social ministry program known as L’Honey Project. According to Rick Samyn,St. Leo’s pastoral assistant for social ministry, and its lead beekeeper, L’Honey links the bee’s life andwork with the ideal of a more compassionate and connected world – ideals which Pope Francis highlights in his encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’. At Earth Ministry, we are happy to support our member congregations in all the ways that they connect with and care for God’s creation. We love seeing the creative ways our congregations live out their call to be good stewards of the earth! Read more about St. Leo’s work with their L’Honey Project in the article below.
St. Leo’s Beekeeper Connects Parish, Community, and Care for Creation
By Michelle Bruno
Northwest Catholic
October 11, 2017
TACOMA – In August, members of St. Leo the Great Parish’s Family Social Committee descended on L’Arche Tahoma Hope Farm to pick blackberries destined for a special purpose. The sweet harvest is the main ingredient in blackberry honey jam, produced by the parish’s social ministry program known as L’Honey Project. “We love the fact that we’re doing something fun but very much helpful to other people,” said Adriana Julian, a four-year member of the FSC. L’Honey brings together a beekeeper, his apprentice and an assortment of volunteers to tend bees, make and sell products from the hives, provide meaningful work for vulnerable adults and promote care for the environment.
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