Holy Family, an Energy Oscar Finalist!
Our parish was recently recognized as a finalist in the advocacy category at the 5^th Energy Oscars held at the Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco on November 15.  John Hesler, who is chair pro tem of our Pastoral Advisory Council and was actively involved in our solar energy project, represented Holy Family at the ceremony.  Though we did not win an award, Holy Family is praised for “modeling the clean energy solutions they want to see adopted across the wider society.”  See details in the Interfaith & Power’s description of our parish green initiatives below.
    In conjunction with the Catholic Green Initiative of Santa Clara County, Holy Family Catholic Church, San Jose encourages area Catholics to take part in a unified green vision for the diocese. Holy Family gets its members involved via a Faith in Action Team and a Green Team that facilitates parishioners’ writing letters to the editor and speaking out on important policy concerns. It has asked all its congregants to sign the St. Francis Pledge, which includes a commitment to pray, learn about, assess, act on and advocate for climate issues, especially as they affect the most vulnerable.
    Holy Family takes to heart the 7^th principle of Catholic Social Teaching – Care for God’s Creation – and aims to practice what it preaches. The church is proud to be the original of five parishes within the Diocese to go solar. One hundred eighty five kilowatts of solar energy are now installed on two areas of the campus. In its first year, the solar system generated nearly two-thirds of the electricity used on the campus. As a result, Holy Family is modeling the clean energy solutions they want to see adopted across the wider society.