Several weeks ago, I was invited to participate in a series of University of Notre Dame conferences on environmental sustainability—first in Castel Gandolfo and now in Rome. The project was inspired by Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical Laudato Si'(“Praised Be”), which framed care for the planet as an urgent moral responsibility closely linked to human dignity and justice, particularly for the poor.
The Castel Gandolfo Workshop
The first workshop focused on building a Global Alliance for Laudato Si’—establishing an international group, centered at a Catholic university, to promote environmental awareness consistent with Christian principles. About half of the participants, including the principal investigator, were not Catholic. This reflected a clear effort by the Church to invite global participation and scientific input so that the initiative would be grounded in rigorous, evidence-based thinking.
The leader of the effort was Fabio Baggio, a charismatic and energetic cardinal with deep scholarly knowledge and strong religious dedication. He was notably open to dialogue and very welcoming of diverse perspectives.
Castel Gandolfo, where the first meeting took place, has long served as the summer residence of the popes. The estate covers roughly 53 hectares of beautiful land and enjoys a particularly pleasant climate—warmer than Rome in winter and cooler in summer due to its proximity to the sea. While the pope still visits periodically, Pope Francis—known for his reform-oriented approach—decided to open most of the property to the public and convert parts of it into a conference center. Our workshop was among the first events held in this new facility. Like many Vatican sites, the setting is spectacular; standing in spaces shaped by centuries of history and artistry (in a tradition that includes figures such as Michelangelo) is quite remarkable.
The meeting also introduced participants to Catholic traditions and some of the institutional changes currently underway. One highlight was a tour of the gardens and extended conversations with Cardinal Baggio. During these discussions, he noted that early astronomical observations associated with Galileo Galilei were conducted within the Vatican. Although Galileo later encountered conflict with Church authorities, his scientific conclusions were ultimately validated. Baggio emphasized that in addressing contemporary issues, the Church increasingly seeks to be guided first by sound scientific understanding while interpreting that knowledge through principles rooted in faith.
The broader goal of the conference is to integrate environmental stewardship into Christian doctrine through the concept of an “ecological conversion,” encouraging believers to respond both to “the cry of the poor” and “the cry of the Earth.” My impression is that the Church places strong emphasis on sustaining and expanding its community, and it has developed mechanisms to adapt to changing global circumstances. In that sense, these conferences represent an effort to incorporate environmentalism into Catholic thought and practice in a systematic way.
The Workshop in Rome
Notre Dame University has a campus in Rome near the Coliseum, and we met there for three days to discuss some of the curriculum challenges of incorporating climate change and faith. The religion traditions set the foundation for policies that aims at sustainable development – sustaining and improving the welfare of humans and the environment, caring for the planet and for the poor. The Book of Psalms, has wonderful poetic descriptions of the wonders of nature, which is a masterpiece created by God. The psalms emphasize the idea of circularity and resilience of nature, other biblical sources emphasize conservation and animal welfare. The theme of social justice is prevalent throughout the Old and New Testament. These foundations, combined with the findings of modern science, and concepts like evolution, need to be incorporated in the new criteria. What I learned is that Notre Dame aims to use religious and cultural traditions to establish moral foundation and principles for policy and management and lets principles of science and economics be prevailed when it comes to analysis of processes. This means acceptance of climate change as an ongoing phenomenon and develop a foundation for policies that will aim to control the risk and especially protect the poor and the vulnerable. Since the plurality of the members of the church are in the South (Latin America, Africa) and these are areas of growth, I felt a strong case for global solidarity, protecting people in these regions who are more vulnerable than people in the developed North, which contributed much to the emissions that led to climate change. This perspective suggests that the church is likely to stand against the current US administration that denies climate change and human solidarity. Thankfully, in democracy, governments change, and I hope the US will return to join the effort to contain climate change.
As a reward for our effort, we were given a private tour of the Vatican Museum. We arrived in the evening when most tourists left and had excellent guides. I was amazed at the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Room when I visited it in the past, but being able to visit them at our own pace without the pressure of the crowd added extra quality. I marveled at the genius and resilience of Michelangelo observing the amazing details of his creations that took at least four years to produce while lying on his back near the ceiling with minimal room for mistakes. The Catholic Church with its history, full of cruelty and triumphs, has created a unique cultural heritage and I am fortunate to able to enjoy some of it.
The experience has provided an interesting perspective on how religious institutions evolve. The Catholic religion was able to adapt slowly to shocks, the Reformation, modernity, and the Scientific Revolution. I’m glad to see that it plans to play a valuable role in the effort to combat climate change. I also expect that in the next few decades, women will join the priesthood (and one day there may be a woman pope) and priests will be allowed to marry.
