Pope Francis has defined “ecological conversion” as a means accessible to all for spiritual and cultural transformation towards a more sustainable and just lifestyle to save our common home. He built this theory starting from the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church and its moral practice of humility and compassion towards those on the existential peripheries. We are grappling with the horrible consequences of climate change. By embracing an ecologically converted lifestyle, we are able to face these storms and emerge stronger, more united, and more in tune with the needs of humanity and the planet.
Pope Francis has reframed environmental issues as deeply connected to human dignity, poverty, and economic justice. His teachings (Laudato Si' and Laudate Deum) are shaped by faith and informed by science. Together, they fuel a vision of integral ecology - where environmental justice is not a separate cause, but the beating heart of human dignity. The health of our planet is tied to the dignity of every human being.
Pope Francis challenges us to look to the margins - the forgotten, the displaced, those living on the front lines of ecological collapse. He has illuminated our path. His voice resonates in our “hearts, in our heads, and in our hands” as we equip communities with the knowledge and tools to build resilience against systems of inequality that marginalize the most vulnerable.
Pope Francis has helped us to see more clearly, to love more deeply, and to act more courageously. His teachings continue to guide us in reaching those who are in the shadows, helping them to be strong and resilient - not alone, but as part of a family that refuses to give up on each other, or on the future we are called to build together.
This is part of the great legacy of Pope Francis that has been entrusted to us to be shared and cultivated to build an ecologically converted and resilient community.
The Camillian Disaster Service International Foundation (CADIS), the humanitarian and development arm of the Order of the Ministers of the Sick (Camillians), envisions the fullness of life in an eCon-resilient or ecologically converted community. Immensely grateful for all his thoughts, inspirations, and encouragements, we pay our highest tribute to Pope Francis. Grieved by his loss, we assure our prayers and our commitment to the vision of a Church that “moves forward” and meets people on the margins of life.
José Ignacio Santaolalla
President of the CADIS International Foundation
