Religious Community and Faith vs. Substance Use Disorder
ISSUP Global invites you to participate in its webinar: Faith Community and Faith vs. Substance Use Disorder.
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Time: 13:00 CET | 12:00 London | 07:00 ET.
Webinar Language
Kindly note that this webinar will be conducted in Spanish, with English interpretation available. To access it, click the “Interpreter” icon in the bottom right corner of your GoTo app and select your preferred audio language. Once selected, it will replace the main webinar audio.
This webinar will explore how faith and faith communities can play a key role in the response to substance use disorder, particularly in contexts where social support and a sense of belonging are critical to recovery.
The session will examine:
- The Role of Community in Recovery and Well-Being
- How Faith Can Act as a Resource of Resilience and Meaning
- Practical examples of faith-based initiatives in different contexts
- Collaboration between health professionals, social services and religious actors
- Strategies to reduce stigma and promote person-centred approaches
The seminar will include presentations by experts and community leaders, as well as an interactive space for questions and dialogue.
Target audience:
- Prevention, treatment and recovery professionals
- Social workers and mental health professionals
- Community and Religious Leaders
- Policymakers
- Researchers in the field of addiction and recovery
- ISSUP members and civil society organizations
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Understand the role of community and faith in recovery processes
- Identify ways to integrate faith-based approaches within systems of care
- Recognize the impact of stigma and how to address it from community contexts
- Apply strategies to strengthen support networks in their own contexts
Presenters:
Carlos Francisco Olivero
Catholic priest, ordained in 2005 by Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio (Pope Francis). Member of the slum priests.
Founder of multiple community initiatives in Argentina, including the San Alberto Hurtado Neighborhood Center and various accompaniment, recovery and reintegration networks for people in situations of consumption and social exclusion.
He is a founding member of the Familia Grande Hogar de Cristo Federation, which articulates more than 300 community centers and recovery spaces.
She has led and coordinated national and Latin American initiatives in the community approach to addictions, working with Caritas Argentina and CELAM.
Emilce Cuda
Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (since 2022) and professor at Loyola University Chicago (since 2021). Member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and the Pontifical Academy for Life (since 2023), and consultant to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue (since 2026).
She coordinates the Building Bridges initiative, which connects universities and organizations in Latin America with other regions of the world.
She holds a PhD in Theology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina (cum laude), specializing in social ethics. He has a background in philosophy, political science, economics, and business.
She has been a visiting professor at DePaul University, Boston College and Northwestern University, and in Argentina at the UBA, UCA and UNAJ.
He has received honorary doctorates from Loyola University Chicago (2023) and the National University of Rosario (2022), as well as international recognition for his academic and social contribution.
Author of To Read Francis. Theology, Political Ethics (2016).
Webinars and online events presented and hosted by the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) are provided for informational purposes only. They are educational in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.