Summit Church Aims to Plant 500 Trees to Champion Pope Francis’ Eco-Initiative

The parish created its tree-planting program in 2021 to support “Laudato Si,” Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical that calls on Catholics to better protect the environment. Since its launch, the initiative has led to approximately 200 trees getting planted on the parish’s church, school, and cemetery grounds. Its goal is to reach 500 trees within the next five years, which St. Teresa of Avila’s pastor believes is a feasible and worthwhile endeavor.

“The environment is not a political issue — it’s a human issue,” said Monsignor Robert Meyer. “As Pope Francis pointed out in ‘Laudato Si,’ God gave us the Earth and said to take care of it. And I think this is one of the ways we can take care of it and hopefully inspire others to do the same. It doesn’t take much to plant a tree, but the impact can really be profound.”

St. Teresa of Avila’s tree program is funded entirely by donations from parishioners and Summit community members, who are sporadically reminded of the initiative. So far, $15,000 has been raised to purchase the trees, which a landscape company plants in batches whenever the weather is optimal for growth. Most of the planted trees are evergreens, though some are flowering species placed near the rectory. The program decides which types of trees to use based on what looks best for a particular location.

To learn more about and donate to St. Teresa of Avila Parish’s tree initiative, visit www.st-teresa.org/tree-program.

About the Archdiocese of Newark 

The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. It includes 212 parishes, 73 Catholic schools, and many missions and ministries. Hundreds of Masses are celebrated in more than a dozen languages each week. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the sixth archbishop of Newark, leads the Archdiocese with four auxiliary bishops. Together, they serve the northern New Jersey community through faith, education, and social services. For more information, visit www.rcan.org.