St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Pagbilao, a coastal municipality in Quezon province on Luzon Island, southeast of Manila in the northern Philippines, has strengthened its commitment to environmental stewardship by expanding its solar energy facilities, demonstrating a concrete response to the Church's call to care for creation amid the growing challenges of climate change and the threat of El Niño.
The parish recently installed a new 10-kilowatt (kW) on-grid solar power system at its rectory, bringing its total solar energy capacity to 25 kW. The new installation complements an existing 5-kW on-grid solar system at the rectory and a 10-kW hybrid solar power system serving the church.
Parish officials said the newly installed system more than meets the energy requirements of the rectory, including two newly installed office air-conditioning units and other operational needs.
By relying more on clean and renewable energy, the parish expects to reduce electricity costs and redirect more resources toward its pastoral programs and social ministries.
“Caring for creation is not only an environmental responsibility , but it is also an act of Christian stewardship,” the parish said in a statement.
The initiative reflects the vision outlined by Pope Francis in Laudato Si', his encyclical on care for the environment, which calls on communities to adopt sustainable practices and take concrete action to protect the planet.
St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish's shift toward renewable energy offers a faith-based example of ecological responsibility and sustainable development.
Church leaders have repeatedly urged the faithful to embrace lifestyles and initiatives that help address environmental degradation and climate change while safeguarding resources for future generations.
With a combined solar capacity of 25 kW, the parish hopes to inspire other churches and communities to explore renewable energy solutions as part of their mission to care for what Pope Francis describes as “our common home.”
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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