Sophia University Institute

This Friday we’ll have a great opportunity of dialogue with Fr. Augusto Zampini, Adjunct Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

The Problem of our time is a transcendental challenge. The Covid-19 pandemic is a manifestation of the climate and environmental crisis we have been in for a long time. The "normality" we have to get used to is this. And in this normality, both inside and outside the short or long periods of "spatial distancing", we must develop culture, proposals and tools to deal with it. We meet, by choice or necessity, radical changes especially of the Lifestyles.  

The Lifestyle will not change if it does not correspond to the reconversion of the productive apparatus. The ecological conversion of the productive apparatus is a necessary and urgent process to face the threats that our planet will have to face in the coming decades and that is already partially suffering even if the majority of the inhabitants of the Earth still ignores them, underestimates them, or even hides them.

Threats that are not only climate change induced by fossil fuel emissions, which of course represent the greatest risk; but also by the scarcity of water and fertile soil; by the irreversible destruction of biodiversity; by the exhaustion of many other resources, both geological and biological and food (our "daily bread”); from the pollution of human habitats, which progressively reduces the quality of life and interpersonal relationships; from wars and weapons of mass destruction, which continue to hang over our destinies, even if we talk about it less and less. Pope Francis invites us to take care of the Common House and reaffirms the commitment of the Catholic Church, even if "it does not have solutions ready to propose and does not ignore the difficulties of the technical, economic and political issues at stake" but wants to do its part, especially in the formation of consciences "in order to foster a deep and lasting ecological conversion”. With the Vatican Covid-19 Commission, Francis is committed to addressing the challenges arising from the pandemic that afflicts the planet, in three areas on which to work to prepare the future of the world: food, since it will increase the tragedy of hunger for hundreds of millions of people; integral ecology, to design new types of economic models more respectful of health and the environment; charity towards the last, through inclusiveness and solidarity. The only cure is Ecological Conversion? and what is it?

Translations will be available on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86799836198