On February 2, 2023, on the occasion of the anniversary of the conversion of St. Camillus de Lellis and the World Day for Consecrated Life, CADIS International hosted the screening of the film “The Letter - A Message for the Earth”, inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’. The screening was held at the parish Basilica of St. Camillus de Lellis in Rome, welcoming over 30 people to reflect together on the issues of our time: climate change, the need to act now to preserve our common home, the Earth. Among the faithful was the Superior General of the Order of the Ministers of the Sick (Camillians) Fr. Pedro Tramontin, together with the General Council of the Order and the President of CADIS International, Fr. José Ignacio Santaolalla. A presence that reinforced the message of the documentary: we can all act.
CADIS is among the promoters of the Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP), a global movement to act in defense of the environment and support integral ecology, promoted by Pope Francis. There are many things that each person, individually or in groups, can do. First of all, register on the Laudato Si’ platform, available in 9 languages, to share and support the action of thousands of people around the world. Then, you can organize awareness events with young people and children, Eucharistic celebrations in your parish community, outdoor activities, discussion groups, and much more.
The fundamental essence is to understand that we can all change the course of events and slow down the climate crisis, for ourselves and for those who will come after us.
As Fr. Aristelo Miranda, CADIS Director, recalled during the Eucharistic celebration that followed the film screening, “Jesus accepted the consequence of his mission, his death on the cross, to bring humanity back to perfection and restore the right order of this world, the interconnectedness of everything that exists in our common home, mistreated by humanity because of the greed for power and wealth.”
The turning point to be reached as soon as possible is ecological conversion that starts from the conversion of the heart. In fact, Fr. Aris continues in his homily,
"without a conversion of the heart, we too easily fall into the trap of the mind, where we fill our heads with honest good intentions, thoughts and positive ideas, but at the same time we lack the inner drive and motivation to realize the change we seek. At the center of our faith is the call to an ecological conversion. Christian spirituality shows us that the path to authentic joy and happiness is found when we draw from within, from the eternal source, God. Consumer society, on the other hand, convinces us that joy and happiness are found when we draw from outside, through the possession of material goods and the accumulation of wealth. At the heart of this crisis is a crisis of the heart."
