Transforming a spiritual center in Lourdes in accordance with the principles of Laudato si’: this is the mission of Damien Aviron-Violet, project manager for ecological and societal transition.
In Lourdes, the Assomption Centre is a site dedicated to ecology.
‘I wanted to put my intelligence to work for another cause.’ An engineer by training and an executive in the aeronautics sector, Damien Aviron-Violet experienced the Covid-19 pandemic as a time of questioning. ‘This period made me think a lot about our vulnerabilities,’ he recalls. And while the world was living under lockdown, he asked himself: how can we work towards the “world of tomorrow”? ‘I went through quite a journey to realign myself,’ he recalls. ‘Especially since I wanted to put faith back at the center of my life.’ For this father of four, the path involves returning to education with a specialized course in eco-engineering in 2022-2023. And even though he is convinced that ‘we also need to make things happen from within’ – so that the aeronautics sector commits to ecological transition – he nevertheless chooses another path. His career change took shape when his project crossed paths with that of the Assumption sisters in Lourdes. They were then engaged in a reflection on their vast reception center, which can accommodate nearly 200 people. Surrounded by two hectares of land, the location is ideally situated, offering a panoramic view of the sanctuary.
A change of software. For the Sisters of the Assumption, it is time to lead the site ‘on the paths of integral ecology’, based on the four relationships highlighted by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato si' (2015): with oneself, with others, with God and with Creation. In September 2024, Damien joined the adventure as the pilot of the project to transform the house into an ‘eco-spiritual center’. More than a change of mission or identity, it is above all a ‘change of software’ for the center, which welcomes all types of groups – particularly diocesan and school groups – as well as individual pilgrims and those on retreat. The center’s kitchen, capable of producing several hundred meals a day, was one of the first levers for change. Supplies were therefore reviewed to give priority to short supply chains. The role of outdoor spaces was also re-examined, with the aim of converting them into different gardens so that ‘everyone can enjoy a spiritual experience’ there. ‘It's a bit of a crazy adventure, sometimes a little disconcerting,’ admits Damien, ‘because we don't know exactly where it will lead us.’ But for the former French scout, one thing is certain: working alongside religious sisters to redesign a place of welcome is ‘a source of great joy’. »
Article by Xavier Le Normand,
Published in LE PÈLERIN No. 7452 on 25 September 2025.
Translated from French by Sr Isabelle Roux, RA.
https://www.assomption-lourdes.com