EcoPhilly 5th Annual Summit

EcoPhilly will host its fifth annual EcoPhilly Summit, From Hope to Action, on Saturday, May 9, at the Connelly Center at Villanova University, 800 E. Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085. The summit will bring together parish, school, and institutional leaders from across the Catholic Church of Philadelphia to deepen and advance care for creation inspired by Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical, Laudato Si’. The day will feature a keynote address by Joshua van Cleef, Director of the Office of Peace and Justice of the Diocese of Lexington, who will share insights from the diocese’s transition toward net-zero emissions by 2030. A breakout session on the impact of AI will be led by EcoPhilly co-founder Nicholas Collura, Program Director of the Radius Program and a chaplain in the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life (ORSEL), at MIT. Additional highlights include sustainability exhibitors, a youth art contest, musical selections by the CLEAR Project, and a complimentary lunch. Mini-grant awards will also be presented to parishes and schools for projects that foster eco-spirituality and environmental action. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m., with programming running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A suggested donation of $5 will be accepted at the door. On-campus parking is available, and the venue is accessible via SEPTA Regional Rail at Villanova Station. The event is co-sponsored by Villanova University’s Office for Sustainability and the Ambassador’s Fund for Catholic Education. For more information or to register, visit ecophilly.org/summit.