Nicole Stuhr
ncaruso929@gmail.com
“Laudato si’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “
Pope Francis – Laudato Si, 2015
To get involved, Contact Nicole Stuhr
The Care for Creation Committee is an effort by Transfiguration Catholic Church to better serve our community through improving our environmental impact as a Parish and community.
Since March of 2019, we’ve had a vision of the future. It started with a note jotted down on a small piece of paper. A huge ask, with a long reach, and the smallest of chances – but we knew there was nothing impossible with God. So we took our note and trusted God. And God has provided every step of the way:
Timeline of Events
- March 27, 2019 – Karen Paonessa & Fr. Brian McNavish attend Elizabeth Johnson’s talk on Earth and Religious Teamwork.
- April – June 2019 – We Researched the best Environmental Practices and HOW we can bring them to Transfiguration
- June 2019 – Initial contact with Susan Varlomoff, contributor to the Laudato Si Plan. Tailored from the Pope’s encyclical on the environment.
- July 2019 – Worked with Susan on ideas related to the presentation of the Laudato Si to the Archdioceses of Atlanta.
- August 23, 2019 – Susan Varlamoff visits Transfiguration Catholic Church for half of a day of instruction to Fr. Brian and Karen on what she has accomplished with the Archdiocese items and a few of the churches of the 1st cohort.
- August 30, 2019- TWO Grants requested to fund our initiative are submitted.
- September 1, 2019 – Donald and Marilyn Keough Foundation grant request FUNDED $1,000.
- September 12, 2019 – Catholic Foundation of North Georgia grant request FUNDED $1,000.
- October 2019 – First young parishioner to fund $250 to environment.
- November 2019 – 2022 Pastoral Plan for Transfiguration Catholic Church is Submitted to the Pastoral Advisory Council [PAC] One pillar of the plan is :”LIVING OUR FAITH ” – where our group is involved.
- December 13, 2019: A representative of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light [GIPL] makes a first visit to Transfiguration to conduct an ENERGY AUDIT. GIPL assists congregations embrace energy efficiency as save money.
- December 16, 2019 – “Laudato Si Yourself in the World”, a discussion on Facebook Live presented by Karen Paonessa to the community.
- December 23, 2019 – ENERGY AUDIT is presented by GIPL to Transfiguration.
- January 6, 2020 – Monday Night 7:00 p.m. Care for Creation Rosary is established for Transfiguration (in the chapel)
- January 14, 2020 – Conference call with Victor Rodriquez (Director of Finance at Transfiguration), Karen Paonessa, and Codi Norred with GIPL. Discussion: Grant Process and the GIPL Energy Audit Report.
- January 31, 2020 – Transfiguration added to the GIPL Green Team.
- February 14, 2020 – Karen Paonessa brings PAC Chair Nancy Prochaska up to sped on Care for Creation church progress.
- February 15, 2020 – 1st official meeting of the Care for Creation Committee is held. Discussing the plans for Transfiguration.
- April 16, 2020 – Transfiguration Catholic Church receives ‘Letter of Understanding for Participants’ – 2020 Laudato Si Initiative from the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
- April 19, 20202 – 2nd official meeting of the Care for Creation Committee is held. Discussion : church’s ‘Action Plan’
- April 26, 2020 – Care for Creation Ministry Action Plan for 2020 is written. Awaiting approval from the PAC.
- May 18, 2020 – Pastor sends Signed ‘Letter of Understating for Participants – 2020 Laudato Si Initiative’ to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta.
- May 22, 2020 – Zoom Meeting with Pastor Fr. Fernando; Business Manager, Victor Rodriquez; Facility Manager, Chris Wood; and Care for Creation Leader, Karen Paonessa. Hosted by Brian J. Savoie, Archdiocese of Atlanta, Sustainability Program Coordinator, Office of Life, Dignity and Justice
Committee Members
- Fr. Eric Hill
- Karen Paonessa – Committee Co-Chair
- Nicole Caruso – Secretary
- César Zapata – Committee Co-Chair
- Shellie Kalany – Secretary Support