From the pastoral Charism of Pope Francis to the conversion of the Church: foundations for a Samaritan Ecclesiology

Abstract

This study analyzes the causal relationship between Pope Francis’s pastoral charism and the imperative of ecclesial conversion, grounded in a Samaritan Ecclesiology. Francis’s pontificate highlights Mercy as both a theological and practical principle, driving the Church to transcend its self-referential structure. The papal charism is manifested through gestures and documents that denounce clericalism and rigidity, calling the community to be a "Church Outbound" (Iglesia en salida). This movement of "unsettling" or displacement targets both existential and geographical peripheries, transforming the institution into a "Field Hospital." The proposed conversion is rooted in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, requiring the Church to prioritize care for the wounds of humanity and the planet, while integrating social doctrine and integral ecology (Laudato Si’). Therefore, this is not a cosmetic change, but a profound renewal of mindset, method (synodality), and mission. The ultimate goal is to ensure that proximity and compassion are the defining traits of ecclesial identity and action in the contemporary world.