Remembering Sr. Paula Gonzalez, Ohio’s “Solar Nun” and Environmental Visionary

  Sister Paula Gonzalez, a Sister of Charity in Cincinnati and co-founder of Ohio Interfaith Power and Light (OhIPL), passed into eternal light earlier this month and was mourned and celebrated by friends and loved ones at a green burial on August 2 and a mass at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse on August 4.  Sr. Paula taught biology at Mount St. Joseph University for 15 years before dedicating the last 40 years of her life to environmental education and ministry. Shown here in her solar powered golf cart (which she built; photo credit: Sisters of Charity, Cincinnati), Paula received Green Energy Ohio’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and was honored as a “Woman of the Year” by the Cincinnati Inquirer in 2014.  She remains famous for her good spirit and vision for sustainability, and for her energy efficient renovated living and work spaces.  An award was made in her honor, The Sister Paula Gonzalez Award, and Sara Ward was the recipient. Paula will be remembered at OhIPL’s Earthkeeping Summit at Ohio State on Sept. 24. For more reflections on Paula’s life and witness, click the links below.

National Catholic Reporter’s article here.

OhIPL Blog here.

Cincinnati News article here.