His Holiness Pope Francis published his second encyclical, Laudato Si’ (Praise Be to You) in the Spring of 2015, calling upon all people to take care of the earth, our common home.
His Excellency, the Most Reverend John Stowe, O.F.M., Conv., the Bishop of Lexington, has requested that all parishes in the Diocese prepare their action plans for implementing Laudato Si’ in their parishes and communities. Below is the plan for St Elizabeth of Hungary, in Ravenna:
Laudato Si’ Action Plan – St. Elizabeth Catholic Church
Address: 322 5th Street, Ravenna, Kentucky, United States 40472
Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky
Date: September 8, 2024
Laudato Si’ Parish Coordinator: Fr. Enrique Montoya; Rosemary Capo.
Laudato Si’ Action Team Members: Chris Foster, Mario Alexander, Jack Stickney, Teresa Stickney, Caleb Stickney, Zach Lee, Barb Dixon, Ann Miller, Fr. Enrique Montoya, Rosemary Capo
Parish Laudato Si’ Statement:
To help ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations, we the parishioners of Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church are committed to continually working towards a sustainable society. The integrity of our world must be respected and protected through a common goal of preserving natural resources, maintaining harmony with nature, and helping those most in need.
Goal 1: Response to the Cry of the Earth
- Seal and Caulk Windows in the Church
- Add caulk around windows in Church to reduce draft
- By December 2024
- Parish Action Team
- Energy Audit of Church
- Free Energy Audit of Church performed by Mountain Association (MA)
- By April 2025
- Parish Action Team in coordination with MA nonprofit
- Replace Lights in Parish Hall with LEDs
- Changeout lights in Parish Hall and replace with energy efficient LED lights
- By September 2025
- Parish Action Team
- Refurbish pollinator garden
- Replant parish pollinator garden with new plants
- By June 2025
- Parish Action Team
Goal 2: Response to the Cry of the Poor
- Research LED Lights Giveaway to the Poor
- Consult with local electric utilities on possibility of LED light giveaway to the poor at parish monthly basement sale.
- By January 2026
- Parish Action Team
Goal 3: Ecological Economics
- Apply for Electric Vehicle Charging Station Installation Grant
- Look into the possibility of installing an electric vehicle charging station at parish with grant funding from Evolve KY facilitated through Mountain Association. Grant application already submitted. This charger would be at least partially powered by parish solar array.
- Know if grant is available by December 2024, Installation by January 2026 if grant is accepted.
- Parish Action Team
- Replace hand soaps with locally produced natural soaps
- Replace hand soaps in all bathrooms/kitchen with locally produced natural soaps
- By October 2024
- Parish Action Team
Goal 4: Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyle
- Install Recycle Bins
- Install Recycle Bins in Parish Hall and encourage use.
- By December 2024
- Parish Action Team
- Recycle Office Paper and Cardboard
- All waste paper and cardboard used in office will be recycled
- By December 2024
- Parish Action Team
- Use Reusable utensils at Parish Events
- Use reusable metal silverware and cups at Parish Events instead of disposable plastic
- By December 2024
- Parish Action Team
Goal 5: Ecological Education
- Post environmental tip in parish bulletin
- We plan to post monthly in our weekly bulletin a different tip on what parishioners can personally do to promote our Laudato Si’ plan.
- January 2025
- Rosemary Capo
- Sponsor Monthly Herb Club meetings
- Monthly meetings of an herb/garden club for discussion/awareness and community education on environmental issues,
- December 2024
- Parish Action Team
Goal 6: Ecological Spirituality
- Incorporate Environmental Issues into Parish Discussion and Education Groups
- Bible Study Group, which meets after Sunday Mass, will try to incorporate environmental issues as they pertain to scripture discussion. This will be true for our youth ministry classes and RCIA preparation classes as well.
- January 2025
- Parish Action Team
- Perform Animal Blessings on Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
- Parishioners will bring pets and animals for blessing on the Feast of St. Francis.
- October 2024
- Parish Action Team
Goal 7: Community Resilience and Empowerment
- Have Parish County Clean-up Day
- Contact County Solid Waste Coordinator and local action group to coordinate time and location for trash clean-up
- By June 2025
- Parish Action Team
- Arbor Day Tree Give-away
- Tree give-away in conjunction with the Estill County Conservation District
- By June 2025
- Parish Action Team
Our Solar Power System
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, our parish in Ravenna, Kentucky, had solar panels installed in November, 2016 in response to Pope Francis’ challenge in Laudato Si’ to evangelize and lead towards a more sustainable infrastructure for our local community and our home planet Earth.
Click here to view online system monitor for solar panels at St. Elizabeth
The solar panels are mounted on our Parish Center
Solar energy has come to our Ravenna, Kentucky church overlooking what was once the largest coal switching (“classification”) railroad yard in America, with 11 to 13 110-car coal trains a day. The town of Ravenna was created as a railroad town in 1915 and still has an annual Railroad Festival. The coal trains themselves have ceased coming through Ravenna, as the use of coal in the production of electricity has fallen dramatically.
The new solar installation at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church had the blessings of Bishop John Stowe of Catholic Diocese of Lexington, who says, “Solar panel technology has come a long way and it looks like this decision (to solarize the church facility) will not only be a very responsible one for the good of the planet but a sound economic decision for the parish as well.”
Solarizing church property has many advantages, said the late Fr. Al Fritsch, SJ, our former pastor. First and foremost is good stewardship, for payback comes from this investment in a ten to fourteen-year period. Non-monetary benefits extend to the community and region through inspiration to help preserve the health of our Earth; currently the planet is suffering from global warming with impending catastrophe due to possible rise beyond two degrees Celsius in global temperature by 2100, and a projected 80% energy consumption increase (largely from air conditioning).
Fr. Fritsch added that solarizing buildings becomes a testimony to other church groups in the community and region to join in urgent change. Furthermore, in Central Appalachia where fossil fuels have been a mainstay of the economic system, solar panels represent a movement to a new economy that offers employment for former miners to install and maintain renewable energy devices. Each solar addition has a ripple effect on the world, and is a sign of vitality. Utilizing solar energy shows we have a part to play in saving the world. In addition, solar panels are beautiful; these shining arrays of human ingenuity utilize free sunlight.
Parish Council member Jack Stickney stated that by being a leader, especially in areas where solar is not readily utilized by institutions, solar arrays tell a secular world that the Church is on the side of progress. Solar applications uplift the spirit and allow parishioners to take pride in being catalysts for global change. When we convert from fossil fuels, we liberate ourselves from harm to our mother Earth and spread the Good News to others with a sense of personal achievement and responsibility. It is not enough to just say what should be done; St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church is doing what should be done and needs to be done.
Fr Fritsch, SJ, was a public interest solar energy advocate for a half century, was co-founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and ASPI in Mt. Vernon KY; he is author of numerous books and reports on renewable energy and adds, “The first American Revolution was supported in many of the churches; the second towards a Renewable Energy Economy must do the same.”
With the retirement of Fr Fritsch, Fr Enrique Montoya, O.F.M., Conv., and our Parish Council have continued with our concern to implement Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ (Praise Be to You), and while the solar system has been of great benefit to our parish church, we will be continuing our efforts to improve our care of our planet and our home community.