Vatican lauds Maasin in Leyte as first diocese to switch to solar

A diocese in central Philippines has been acknowledged by the Vatican for being the first to switch to renewable energy in the entire Catholic Church.

The Vatican, in a new document, said the Diocese of Maasin in Southern Leyte has become “the first diocese in the world to equip all parishes with solar panels.”

According to an article on Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News on Monday, this was mentioned in the book titled “Journeying Towards Care for our Common Home: Five Years After Laudato Sì,” which was released on June 18 for the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato sì.

The book aims to guide Catholics on how to bring out concrete ecological actions and contains “best practices” of the different countries and organizations from all over the world.

It was in 2018 when the Maasin diocese allowed the wide-scale installation of solar panels in all its 42 parishes with the help of WeGen, a next generation energy-tech business.

The 265-page Vatican document also cited the renewable energy advocacy of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission on the Laity.

The lay apostolate body has also partnered with WeGen to encourage the use of solar energy in church institutions and communities.

“In this project, they also promote information and communication campaigns to spread the teachings of Pope Francis and the Laudato sì,” the document read.

The document was drafted by the “Holy See Interdicastery Table on Integral Ecology,” which was created in 2015 to “evaluate ways to best promote and implement integral ecology.” —LDF, GMA News