Vatican officials have written to Cardinal Cupich to congratulate him and his “coworkers in ministry” on moving to purchasing energy from 100% renewable sources starting in January. The letter, dated Dec. 23, 2023, reads in part: “With very great joy and gratitude, we receive the good news that the Archdiocese of Chicago is committed to using 100% renewable energy starting in January 2024! This action is an excellent response to Pope Francis’s calls in ‘Laudato Si’’ and ‘Laudate Deum’ for the global community to drastically reduce our carbon emissions. Putting your Catholic faith into practice in this way is a prophetic sign that will no doubt encourage many other dioceses in the United States and beyond to consider similar commitments.” The letter, signed by Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and John Mundell, director of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, also acknowledges the other work the archdiocese and its parishes, schools and other institutions are undertaking to promote care of creation, saying, “The Archdiocese of Chicago is helping the whole Church to face the global climate crisis. “In addition, we gratefully recognize your many courageous and resolute efforts to uplift the dignity of the human person and care for the least and marginalized, including the vulnerable migrants arriving in Chicago. May you continue to couple integral human development with care for our common home, and may God abundantly bless the efforts of everyone in Chicago working hard to bring the Gospel to society!”
Cristo Rey St. Martin installs solar array on school’s rooftop Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan is now powered, at least in part, by the sun. The school announced in September that an array of solar panels installed on the roof is now fully operational and producing clean, renewable energy.
Father Manuel Dorantes appointed director of Laudato Si’ center Pope Francis named Father Manuel Dorantes, pastor of St. Mary of the Lake-Our Lady of Lourdes Parish as the administrative-management director of the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education in Italy. His four-year term will begin on Dec. 1.
Pope calls on world leaders to end divisions to fight climate change The future of humanity depends on what people choose now, Pope Francis said in his message to global leaders at the World Climate Action Summit of the U.N. Climate Change Conference.