Caldwell
Dominicans Celebrate Earth Day -- Dedicate Solar Energy System
CALDWELL, , NJ [ April 10, 2006] – The Caldwell Dominican
Sisters will celebrate the dedication of their newly installed solar
electric system at Mount Saint Dominic on Wednesday, April 26, 2006.
The
solar energy panels were installed through Lighting the Way,
a joint project of GreenFaith
and Sun Farm Network. GreenFaith was founded in 1992 by Jewish and
Christian leaders in New Jersey to mobilize people of diverse religions
to discover a relationship with the sacred in nature and to take
action for the present and future life of our planet Earth. Through
Lighting the Way, GreenFaith and Sun Farm Network, a leading New
Jersey solar energy company, are placing solar installations at
twenty-five religious sites around the state.
“Jesus said: ‘I have come that they may have life and
have it to the full.’ (John 10:10),” said Sr. Alice
Uhl, OP, a member of the Order’s Leadership Team. “In
tune with this Gospel message, the solar energy installation is
a concrete expression of the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell’s
commitment to the life and well-being of future generations.”
“It has taken over two years of coordination to honor Mother
Earth by utilizing the power of the sun. Our hope is that our Lighting
the Way project will be a beacon for others,” commented Catherine
Warshaw, OPA, Treasurer for the Dominican Sisters.
“Every major religious tradition contains texts and traditions
that recognize the presence of the sacred in nature, that command
humanity to protect the earth, and that recognize that all people
deserve a clean, safe environment,” said Reverend Fletcher
Harper, Executive Director of GreenFaith. “The Dominican Sisters’
solar installation is a stunning spiritual, ethical statement about
caring for the earth.”
Lighting the Way is funded by private foundations and
by New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities, which promotes
the use of renewable energy and energy conservation through its
Office of Clean Energy. A BPU solar rebate of $277,603 provided
funding for over 50% of the project.
Sun Farm Network’s mission is to make solar
electricity a significant part of US energy supply. Sun Farm is
doing for solar what has never been done before: creating scale
with Solar photovoltaic solutions that are attractive to mainstream
customers and creating self-sustaining business
models that secure large scale financing. Sun Farm’s growing
network of customers includes homeowners, farmers, businesses and
religious institutions, all using clean, abundant and renewable
sunshine for power.
The Caldwell Dominicans have a long history of commitment to the
environment. Their Vision Statement reads in part “We resist
the ongoing devastation of our planet by a contemplative scrutiny
of our use/abuse of Earth’s gifts.” This Vision is lived
out in the Sisters’ Corporate Stance on Non-Violence which
includes their commitment “ to eradicate violence against
the earth, to instill respect and love for our planet, for its bounteous
resources, and for all its creatures.”
“Lighting the Way has provided an exciting way for
us to live more deeply our commitment to all life on our home planet,”
said Sr. Peggy Ryan, OP, Communications Director for the Sisters.
“It is our hope that this installation will encourage other
congregations and religious institutions to follow our lead.”
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