Bishop Jaime Soto presided at the unveiling and blessing of a new solar panels system on the roof of the Memorial Center at St. Anthony Parish, located at 660 Florin Road in Sacramento, following the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Feb. 20.
St. Anthony parishioners decided to take steps to reduce the carbon footprint of their parish campus with the installation of solar panels. "Solar is an ultra-clean, renewable source of energy (sun) that reduces reliance on more harmful and finite fuels like coal and gas," says Kim-Son Ziegler, social ministry coordinator for the parish. "Large panels harvesting suns rays are installed on the south and west sides of the Memorial Center roof. This project follows efforts in recent years to reduce parish energy consumption, which has included installation and use of high efficiency LED lighting."
During the months before the unveiling, Ziegler said parishioners were asked to "prayerfully reflect on our climate vulnerabilities, our own individual contributions to being stewards of our common home, and pray for a blessed journey together to help heal God's creation for our future generations."
Ziegler said the solar system currently covers the Memorial Center service meter, which includes the main building power and some exterior landscape and parking lot electrical. "Phase II" of the solar system was recently approved by SMUD and is expected to more than double the currently solar system to cover the entire parish campus needs, including power to the main church, religious education building, business office and residence buildings.
(In photo above, Bishop Soto blesses a solar panel as Father Mitch Maleszyk, pastor of St. Anthony Parish, looks on.)
(Video courtesy of Gabby Trejo)