By Edward P. Noga
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Fifty-six years ago, April 22 was officially designated Earth Day in the United States and became the unofficial start of the modern environmental movement. That 1970 designation ushered in a new era of “green” legislation, including the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency.
This year, because of NASA’s Artemis II flight to (and around) the moon, we have fresh new images of our planet. As the four astronauts made history, their words, photos and videos were truly – and, yes, literally – “out of this world.” Many of us were simply mesmerized by what was sent back in living color.
This year, on the day before Earth Day, a rather significant event took place just a few miles east of Youngstown, right across the border in Pulaski, Pa.
On a former 200-acre farm that now houses the Villa Maria Educational and Spirituality Center, a switch from electric to solar power took place. While the entire campus is not solar powered, more than 60% of it is.
Think about it. When the Sisters of the Humility of Mary arrived on the farm in 1864, there was, obviously, no electric power. Photos in the archives show a rather primitive situation for the sisters as they arrived from France at the invitation of the local bishop. Their initial charge was to establish schools in northeastern Ohio.
Many of us in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys today also know of their work and ministry in the field of health care. Today, as one drives into the southern entrance to “the Villa” off Evergreen Road, one’s attention is immediately drawn to 6 acres of solar panels in what was formerly a cow pasture. The installation of the 3,224 panels took 12 months to complete. Make no mistake about it, the transition was much more complicated than turning one switch to “off” and another to “on.”
Tim Reardon, CEO of the Villa campus and CFO of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, told me that the process began in 2017 as part of a congregation-wide planning process; a contract was signed in 2023 for the installation. He also noted that the process was not without its challenges. For instance, the township required that 93 trees be planted around the solar array to act as a natural barrier, and the utility company required upgraded equipment for energy flowing back to the grid.
As with all major changes these days, we know that preparation and transparency are expected, and there are always those who will not immediately jump on board. Anecdotally, as I was driving into the Villa one sunny afternoon, one of the retired sisters was taking a walk near the installation site. I slowed down and greeted her by acknowledging the nice sunny day and adding, “Hey, aren’t these solar panels something?” Her response: “I wish the cows were back!”
Sister Carol Ann Smith, pastoral leader of the Villa’s religious community, informed me that “since the earliest days of our congregation, our sisters farmed our sacred Villa land, often including care for animals ranging from chickens and pigs to lambs and cattle. In keeping with our community mission of ‘meeting the needs of the times,’ we view this solar project as an acknowledgment of changing times and part of our commitment to protect earth in alignment with our HM Land Ethic.”
Today, a long, long way from the early days in 1864 on the farm, the work, energy, ministry and legacy of this religious order include health care and Catholic education; advocacy and social justice ministries; retreat work; and providing housing and support for immigrants, prisoners and countless persons in need.
In closing, Reardon summed it up this way: “The process wasn’t quite as smooth as we hoped, but progress isn’t always linear. We are excited with our first step into renewable energy.”
Sister Carole Ann added: “Our Mission of bringing more abundant life to God’s people, especially those in need, continues to guide all of the community’s ministries, activities and decisions.”
In 1864, folks looked up at the night sky and marveled at the moon in all its glory. I think it’s safe to say that very few back then ever felt that we would visit it. Yet we have visited and have looked at our planet from that very moon.
The conversion from fossil fuel to solar energy is a significant step. But Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato, Si! ups the ante: “What we need is an ecological conversion, whereby the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us. Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” To which I can add only a resounding Si!
