The three “H”:Integrating “Head, Heart, and Hands”A New Culture of Response to ecological conversion

– Inspired by the 2025 Lenten Campaign “Fraternity and Integral Ecology” by Brazil’s Catholic Bishops Conference (CNBB)

In my previous reflection, I spoke about the urgent call for religious congregations to take responsibility for caring for the earth. I emphasized that ecological commitment is not just an additional task but a vital part of our missionary identity, especially for those in consecrated life. I also explored how our charisms can expand to embrace this responsibility, allowing us to respond more meaningfully to the challenges of our time.

Today, I want to shift the focus to the practical side of this mission, drawing from the insights of Brazil’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference in their Lenten message.

There is no doubt that climate activism, despite its best intentions, has struggled to inspire lasting transformation. The dominant focus has been on intellectual arguments scientific data, policy discussions, and statistics. While these are crucial, they often fail to touch the depths of the human soul. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si’, calls for a more holistic response, one that integrates the head, heart, and hands in what he terms an “integral ecology.” ¹ This vision offers a way forward where faith communities can play a unique and vital role in fostering a culture that deeply connects knowledge, compassion, and action.

Too often, discussions about climate change remain abstract and detached. Graphs about rising temperatures and CO₂ levels may be compelling, but they rarely move people to change. What is missing is an appeal to the heart. Pope Francis reminds us that “a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach.” ² This means that the crisis of our common home is not just a technical problem it is a deeply moral and spiritual one. When we see creation as a gift rather than a resource to be exploited, our relationship with the environment shifts from one of dominance to one of care. This is where faith communities have something profound to offer. Unlike science alone, religious traditions provide a language of meaning, responsibility, and hope.

The Head represents knowledge and understanding. It is essential to grasp the realities of climate change, the interconnectedness of ecosystems, and the social injustices that accompany environmental degradation. However, knowledge must go beyond technical expertise; it must be informed by wisdom. A purely intellectual approach often results in bureaucratic inertia, endless debates, and resistance to change. The knowledge we cultivate should inspire responsibility, offering guidance on how to live harmoniously with creation. As Pope Francis asserts, the ecological crisis is not merely a matter of scientific concern but a moral and ethical challenge. ³

The Heart fosters compassion and moral responsibility. Climate change is not merely a scientific issue but a deeply human and spiritual one. When we see creation as a manifestation of God’s love, we cultivate a sense of awe and reverence. This calls for an “ecological conversion,” where we recognize that harming the environment also harms the most vulnerable among us the poor, the marginalized, and future generations. ⁴ the heart must be engaged before real change can take place. It is one thing to read about environmental degradation, but quite another to witness the destruction of forests or polluted rivers and feel the urgency to act. Compassion awakens a deeper sense of duty, urging us to protect the earth not just for its utility but because it is sacred.

The Hands translate knowledge and compassion into action. As St. James reminds us, faith without works is dead. ⁵ Pope Francis insists that true ecological conversion must be expressed through concrete efforts reducing waste, supporting sustainable agriculture, advocating for policies that protect the most vulnerable, and fostering a culture of simplicity and reverence. It’s important to thirty our hands to make our space more beautiful and attractive. Our actions must be consistent with our values, ensuring that our lifestyles reflect genuine care for the earth. Laudato Si’ emphasizes that “we are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental and the other social, but rather one complex crisis which is both social and environmental.” ⁶ That is what the Integral ecology of Pope Francis is all about. Addressing these crises requires tangible action, community engagement, and policy advocacy that prioritize human dignity and the common good.

To truly address the interconnected crises of our time, we must reinvent a new culture of response based on the three “H”: Head, Heart, and Hands. This means cultivating a mindset that integrates knowledge with wisdom, ensuring that science and ethics work together rather than in isolation. It calls for fostering a culture of compassion, where people see the struggles of the planet and the poor as intimately connected to their own well-being. Finally, it requires mobilizing action transforming concern into tangible efforts that promote sustainability, justice, and peace.

Integral ecology invites us into a new way of seeing and acting. It is not simply about reducing carbon footprints but about healing relationships with the earth, with one another, and with God. Climate action cannot remain in the realm of policy papers and conferences; it must become a lived reality, rooted in love and expressed in daily choices. This approach demands that we challenge consumerist attitudes, reimagine economic models based on care rather than exploitation, and create systems that prioritize people over profit.

Faith communities hold immense power in this transformation. They provide spaces where people can cultivate a spirituality of care, where they can listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. ⁷ They remind us that the call to protect creation is not merely a political or ethical duty, but a sacred obligation. Through prayer, contemplation, and communal action, believers can embody a new way of living that reflects the harmony and justice that creation itself longs for.

The way forward is clear: knowledge must lead to love, and love must lead to action. Only when the Head, Heart, and Hands are fully engaged will we see true ecological conversion. As Pope Francis reminds us, “Everything is connected.” ⁸ the healing of our world begins with the healing of our hearts. This transformation is not a distant dream but a reality that we can begin to build today, one decision, one action, and one community at a time.

Francois Balga Goldong, OMI.

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Footnotes

1. Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, nos. 137-162.
2. Ibid., no. 49.
3. Ibid., no. 159.
4. Ibid., no. 217.
5. James 2:26.
6. Pope Francis, Laudato Si’, no. 139.
7. Ibid., no. 49.
8. Ibid., no. 91.