Vatican, 19 January, 2023 / 1:12 pm (ACI Africa).
Pope Francis spoke with Buddhist monks from Cambodia on Thursday about the need for “ecological conversion.”
In a meeting at the Vatican on Jan. 19, the pope defined “ecological conversion” as “true repentance” that leads to the end of “ideologies and practices that are hurtful and disrespectful to the earth.”
Francis said that it requires people to commit to “promoting models of developments that heal wounds inflicted by greed, excessive search for financial profits, lack of solidarity with neighbors, and disrespect for the environment.”
He commended the delegation, which included civil society from Cambodia, for choosing “ecological conversion” as the theme of their visit to Rome focused on interreligious cooperation.
Pope Francis underlined “the profound richness that our respective religious traditions offer in sustaining efforts to cultivate ecological responsibility.”
