Consistent with Catholic social teaching and our Holy Father’s call in Laudato Si, St. Monica’s Green team is dedicated to protecting our Common Home. We are committed to improving energy efficiency, creating a culture of conservation and natural resource stewardship, and transforming our social values into actions. We will accomplish this by providing tools, training and service so that our congregation can live more sustainably and in solidarity with all of God’s Creation, including the most vulnerable among us. 

Join JustFaith Sacred Water

As the smoke begins to clear in our community the collective heartbreak is overwhelming. It is now more important than ever that we have to change our relationship with water. 

Sacred Water: Oceans & Ecosystems is an immersive 8 Monday night, virtual program starting February 3, 2025 with an optional one hour orientation February 2 at 7pm. We will explore the impact of the climate crisis on God’s creation and God’s people. Topics include watershed 101, natural disasters and the climate crisis, ocean health, clean water access, pollution, plastics, and environmental racism. 

For more information, click here. 

Do you have the gift of Graphic Arts? The Green Team is looking for a graphic artist to help …

Are you a graphic designer looking for a way to use your talents to care for God’s creation? The Green Team is looking for a graphic designer to create an engaging and informative design for signage on our three-bin waste system across campus. If you’re interested in collaborating on this project, please email us at [email protected].

Save the Date 

Teen Youth Climate Summit March 8th 

Are you a high school student looking to connect with others who are passionate about the environment?  The St. Monica Green Team, Catholic Climate Covenant and Heal the Bay invite you to spend a Saturday at Loyola Marymount University at the student-led  Youth Climate Summit.  Learn the fundamental science behind climate change and use this knowledge to develop and champion actions that help your peers and your campus be more environmentally aware and active. RSVP will open early February. For more information contact [email protected]

Greening St. Monica’s Ministries

Congratulations to the St. Monica Filipino Community for taking the extra steps to make Simbang Gabi sustainable. Simbang Gabi is the beautiful Filipino novena in preparation for Christmas. After the liturgy, attendees enjoyed a lavish reception in the Duval Center. By using the parish’s dishes and flatware they were able to greatly reduce the waste that would have been generated using single-use plastic dishes. 

Think Global Act Local

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. There have been five major storms in less than a month. Rising sea levels, higher temperatures, and increased frequency of typhoons and extreme weather events can cause floods, landslides, and erosion that pollute water resources, damage infrastructure, destroy crops, and lead to loss of lives and livelihoods. In 2022, the World Risk Index ranked the Philippines as the country with the highest disaster risk.

Join the Green Ambassadors

Separating food waste from the trash during our parish events is not only the law, but it is an important step to reduce methane gas generated at landfills. Methane is almost 30 times more potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Contact us to volunteer!

Green Ambassadors ensure that our parish events and  ministries do the following:

• Reduce waste by using reusable dishware when possible
• Eliminate the use of single-use plastic water bottles
• Ensure organics (food) waste  is separated from landfill waste and ends up in the organics dumpster
• Reduce use of all single-use plastic products
• Source 100% fiber-based single-use materials for events when single-use disposables are necessary
• Ensure an effective, high-quality recycling program on campus

Green Ambassador Training Video & Resources available HERE

Check out this 18-minute training to help you and your ministry comply with new laws governing waste management at St. Monica. Learn what to buy for your event and how to manage the waste stream while on campus.

Questions? [email protected]

In Case You Missed It

As a parish we can do our part and REFUSE, REDUCE and RETHINK our relationship to single-use plastic one water bottle (or one coffee cup) at a time.  Read more about the labyrinth here

Stay CONNECTED

Don’t recognize the number? St. Monica Green Team updates are texted from 855.276.4119 (via Flocknotes). Add this number to  your phone contacts so you never miss an update.

Recent news

Green Ambassador Training

The St. Monica Green Team trained representatives from several ministries on how to ensure their social gatherings are in compliance with Santa Monica and state recycling/composting laws as well as reflect the goals set forth by Pope Francis in his two letters on Caring for our Common Home.

When we fail to manage our waste properly or choose to neglect the call to  reduce our plastic consumption, our beaches suffer. When we turn a blind eye and refuse to take responsibility for our throwaway society, the children of the world suffer. The United States is the largest exporter of plastic waste products to developing nations. As a parish we can do our part and REFUSE, REDUCE and RETHINK our relationship to single-use plastic one coffee cup at a time.

Laudato Si Resources

Watch the Vatican’s film, The Letter, for free on YouTube or hold a screening here.

Don’t forget to visit the Laudato Si’ Action Platform to see how you might begin to take action.

• • Uphold life and the dignity of each human person 
• • Support families and future generations 
• • Love the poor and vulnerable 
• • Advocate for basic rights and a just economy 
• • Be in solidarity with all, as one human family 
• • Care for all of God’s creation