April 22 is Earth Day. Here are some of the measures Mary Mother of the Church takes to care for God’s creation: 1) use of solar panels... 2) converting to LED lighting throughout church, rectory, classrooms, gym, and parking lot 3) use of motion sensors on parking lot lights to conserve energy—emitting low light unless activity is sensed, resulting in brighter light 4) use of compostable disposables for all parish events 5) use of both trash dumpster and co-mingled recycling dumpster (for parish use only) 6) major HVAC systems (church, parish hall, gym) on programmable WIFI thermostats to help manage occupied/unoccupied temps 7) converting all heating systems to natural gas (cleaner and less costly than electric heat) 8) use of irrigation system around the church, allowing for watering flowers/grass early in the day and for limited time periods to manage water usage We parishioners can be proud and grateful that our parish leaders have heeded the call to reduce, reuse, and recycle as we strive to protect our environment. Let’s follow their excellent example in our own living and workspaces. Thank you to Ann Garavaglia, MMOC’s hard-working business manager, for providing this information.