St. Raphael Church’s recently formed Green Giants Environmental Team is rallying the parish community to care for the environment, including making several changes at its Lenten fish fries.
“It’s all about caring for our common home and having a home to leave for our children that’s vibrant,” said Susan Meyer, a parishioner who’s a member of the Green Giants.
Meyer said the environmental team formed after parishioners engaged in an eight-month study and discussion of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home.”
That’s where they learned “how toxic styrofoam is” to the planet, Meyer said. Knowing styrofoam was used during the fish fries and in the school cafeteria, the group knew they had to take action, Meyer said during a recent interview.
The parish has removed plastic carry-out containers, plastic bags and disposable cups and utensils from its fish fries. Diners are using paper carry-out containers, paper bags, reusable utensils and reusable plastic cups, Meyer said.
The school has also removed styrofoam containers and disposable utensils from the cafeteria. And the entire campus is recycling.
Mike Allison, who leads the fish fry committee, said volunteers are happy to have taken this new, greener path.
“For years we’d been throwing away cans. Unfortunately, we did that, but we’re happy now to be on a different path,” he said during a recent interview. “The green plates are 100 percent more expensive than styrofoam but as a parish, we decided it was worth it.”
The community is so committed to this effort, Meyer noted, that each fish fry has about four volunteers who wash the silverware and assist individuals with recycling.
Father Anthony Cecil, pastor of St. Raphael, said everyone working together on this new effort is “good for building community.”
“It’s a good example of what really strong parishes do,” said Father Cecil. This work “allows those aspects of their faith to spill out into their lives. We do it because God has given us all these resources to steward well and it’s impacting the whole parish.”
Diane Justice, who serves as the parish’s pastoral associate, said the faith community has a long way to go still, but they’re committed to keep moving forward.
“You have to do it right. If not, people think it’s ‘one more thing to do,’ ” said Justice. “We do a lot of education. We’ve done a lot in the classroom.”
Justice said members of the Green Giants have donated to offset the cost of the paper products and the parish is committed to helping, as well. The effort is also relying on a “green tip jar” at fish fries for additional funds, she said.
Last year, St. Francis of Assisi Church also moved toward more environmentally friendly fish fries.
