Press Release: As one of six winners in the 2023 Cool Congregations Challenge awarded a $1000 prize, St. Anthony’s proved to be a Renewable Role Model across the country.
St. Anthony Catholic Parish, Sacramento, CA is one of the six national Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) 2023 Cool Congregations Challenge winners awarded a $1000 prize. The annual contest accepts applications from religious congregations around the United States who are doing work to address climate change by reducing their carbon footprint as they create models of sustainability within their communities.
St. Anthony Catholic Parish won the Renewable Role Model award for the work of their small Creation Care or “Laudato Si’” committee that convinced the parish to install solar, then influenced the diocesan attitude by inviting the Bishop to attend the solar installation blessing. With the support of the Bishop’s office, a small group of clergy and local members then came together to create a Care for Creation committee for the diocese and a multi-year Laudato Si’ action plan for the entire diocese serving 100+ churches in California.
Pastor of St. Anthony Catholic Parish, Fr. Mieczyzlaw “Mitch” Maleszyk, noted “We are honored to be recognized by IPL and blessed to be able to grow in ministry and share in ways stewardship for the gift of our common home can be achieved”.
“St. Anthony Catholic Parish and the other national winning congregations are casting a vision for the kind of world in which they want to live, and then carrying out that vision with practical actions that make a real difference in creating lasting solutions to climate change,” said Rev. Susan Hendershot, President of Interfaith Power & Light.
The Cool Congregations Challenge shows that people of faith are united by concerns about climate change and are taking action. The winners provide strong moral role models for their communities, and their activities have a ripple effect with people in their own homes, demonstrating that acting on climate is a moral issue.
Attention Houses of Worship! Reimbursement Rates are Changing Mid-April