Stephen Kent of the Catholic News Service raised some great points in his recent column, published in the Georgia Bulletin. The word “Change” has been overused and poorly defined in recent political contexts. He writes:

It seems that what is sought is not so much change but conversion, a turning to something that enhances personal integrity and the good of the community.

Spiritual writers use a Greek word—“metanoia”—to denote a change of mind, a reorientation, a fundamental transformation of outlook, of a vision of the world and of self, and a new way of loving others and God.

There is some evidence that this desire for “metanoia” exists even if it is not yet recognized as such.

The column cites a pollster who thinks that “more and more Americans are rejecting the traditional American dream, which has been expressed in material terms, in terms of acquiring, and are moving toward wanting to lead a more genuine life, one that’s more fulfilling.”

Kent notes that this realization that materialistic pursuits don’t lead to true happiness is “what Catholic social teaching has said for years…A merger of spirituality and economy may be more than just change—it could be a conversion. Why settle for change when we could have conversion?”