"Pope in Easter message: Pandemic should spur ‘humanist and ecological conversion’"

"Amid the economic difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis in an Easter message has called for 'a humanist and ecological conversion that puts an end to the idolatry of money,' placing 'human life and dignity' at the center.

Not once in his message to members of 'popular movements and organizations' delivered on Easter Sunday — when Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus — did the Pope talk about religious conversion to the Christian faith.

Pope Francis brought the term 'ecological conversion' into vogue in his 2015 encyclical letter on the environment Laudato Si’, in which he made use of the phrase five times. He said that people who 'choose not to change their habits' with regard to the 'ecological crisis' are in need of an '‘ecological conversion.’'

In his 2016 message for the celebration of World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Francis called on Catholics to have an 'ecological conversion' and go to confession for 'sins' of not being respectful of creation, giving examples of examination of conscience such as 'avoiding the use of plastic and paper,' 'separating refuse,' and 'turning off unnecessary lights.'

Last week, the Pope doubled-down on his belief that the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping around the world is 'certainly nature’s response' to man’s failure to address humanity’s impact on the environment.

When asked in an interview published by The Tablet last Wednesday if the current crisis and the economic devastation it is wreaking is a chance for an 'ecological conversion,' the Pope responded:

There is an expression in Spanish: 'God always forgives, we forgive sometimes, but nature never forgives.' We did not respond to the partial catastrophes. Who now speaks of the fires in Australia, or remembers that 18 months ago a boat could cross the North Pole because the glaciers had all melted? Who speaks now of the floods? I don’t know if these are the revenge of nature, but they are certainly nature’s responses.

Last month, the Pope said he believes that the coronavirus pandemic is nature 'having a fit' in response to environmental pollution. 'Fires, earthquakes … that is, nature is having a fit, so that we will take care of nature.'

During his homily at the Urbi et Orbi ceremony on April 1, Pope Francis again returned to his theme of linking the coronavirus pandemic to a response from the planet to environmental pollution...

In his April 12 Easter message, the Holy Father also called for a 'universal basic wage' that he said would 'acknowledge and dignify the noble, essential tasks' carried out by many workers."