Caritas Internationalis

Caritas Internationalis (Latin for "Charity International") is a confederation of over 160 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Collectively and individually, their missions are to work to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed. The first Caritas organization was established by Lorenz Werthmann on 9 November 1897 in Freiburg (headquarters for Germany). Other national Caritas organizations were soon formed in Switzerland (1901) and the United States (Catholic Charities, 1910).
History
In July 1924, during the international Eucharistic Congress in Amsterdam, 60 delegates from 22 countries formed a conference, with headquarters at Caritas Switzerland in Luzern. In 1928, the conference became known as Caritas Catholica. The delegates met every two years until the outbreak of the Second World War when all activities came to a standstill. Work resumed in 1947, with the approval of the Secretariat of State, and two conferences were convened in Luzern to help coordinate efforts and collaboration.
Caritas was given a further endorsement when the Secretariat of State entrusted it with the official representation of all welfare organizations at the international level, especially at the United Nations. The Holy Year in 1950 saw the beginning of a union of Caritas organizations. Following a suggestion by Monsignor Montini, then Substitute Secretary of State, and later Pope Paul VI, a study week, with participants from 22 countries, was held in Rome to examine the problems of Christian Caritas work. As a result, the decision was made to set up an international conference of Roman Catholic charities.
In December 1951, upon approval of the statutes by the Holy See, the first constitutive General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis took place. Founding members came from Caritas organizations in 13 countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. The Church describes Caritas as its official voice “in relation to its teachings in the area of charity work”.
In 1954, the Confederation changed its name to Caritas Internationalis to reflect the international presence of Caritas members on every continent. As of 2015, the Confederation has 164 members working in over 200 countries and territories. Its General Secretariat is located in the Palazzo San Callisto, Vatican City. The current president is Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle and the Secretary General is Aloysius John.
After World War Two, Caritas was implicated in assisting Franz Stangl, a supervisor at the Hartheim Euthanasia Centre which was the early Nazi euthanasia programme responsible for the deaths of over 70,000 mentally ill or physically deformed people in Germany, in his escape to Syria. After Stangl made his way to Rome from Linz, the Caritas relief agency provided him with a Red Cross passport and a boat ticket to Syria.
Caritas national and regional agencies
The full membership list of Caritas organizations includes:
Africa
Including 45 national agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa:
Algeria – Caritas Algérie. The Catholic Church in Algeria announced on September 27, 2022, the unprecedented closure of Caritas. Open since 1962, it will cease its activities from October 1.
Chad – SECADEV (Caritas Chad) has partnered with the Canadian bishops' Development and Peace program to provide essential aid for Sudanese refugees in Chad, including access to water, financing for small businesses and agricultural projects.
Egypt - Caritas Egypt (part of a Middle East and Africa (MENA) regional agency), founded and recognised by the Egyptian government in 1967.
Kenya – Caritas Nairobi - operated by the Archdiocese of Nairobi
Nigeria – Caritas Nigeria claims to work with local diocesan Caritas to bring relief to displaced families in the North East region displaced because of attacks by Boko Haram.
Uganda – Caritas Uganda (founded in 1970)
Asia
24 national agencies including:
Nepal – Caritas Nepal
Bangladesh – Caritas Bangladesh Governed by The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bangladesh
Cambodia – Caritas Cambodia
Hong Kong – Caritas Hong Kong operated by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
Myanmar – Karuna Mission Social Solidarity (Caritas Myanmar) was founded in 2001, and aims to focus on the poor in Myanmar.
Indonesia – Caritas Indonesia – KARINA
Caritas Bandung – operated by the Diocese of Bandung
Cordia Caritas Medan – operated by Archdiocese of Medan
Caritas Keuskupan Sibolga – operated by Roman Catholic Diocese of Sibolga
Caritas Keuskupan Agung Semarang – Karina KAS – operated by Archdiocese of Semarang
Caritas Tanjungkarang – operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tanjungkarang
India – Caritas India claimed in its Decennial Report that the organization invested US$75 million on 14 major emergencies across the country during 2014–2015 period.
Japan – Caritas Japan
Korea – Caritas Korea
Macau – Caritas de Macau – established the Family Casework & Assistance Service, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Home for the Elderly, St. Luis Gonzaga Center for the Disabled and Institute of Social Work, the first Institute in Macau offering training for social workers.
Mongolia – Caritas Mongolia
Philippines – National Secretariat on Social Action/Caritas Philippines (NASSA/Caritas Philippines)
Caritas Manila – Focus on Education, Health, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as flagship programs. Operated by the Archdiocese of Manila.
Singapore – Caritas Singapore
Vietnam – Caritas Việt Nam (26 members of the diocesan)
MENA regional agency Caritas MENA with 17 national agencies including:
Cyprus
Jordan – Caritas Jordan has taken part in efforts to support displaced Syrians since December 2011 and is still active in addressing the needs of refugees.
Lebanon – Caritas Lebanon works through different centers throughout the country, delivering food parcels, hygiene kits and blankets to refugee families from war-torn Syria. There is also medical assistance through mobile clinics and health centers.
Syria
Europe
Caritas Europa with 49 national agencies including:
Armenia – Armenian Caritas
Austria – Caritas Österreich
Belgium – Caritas Catholica Belgica
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Caritas Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria – Caritas Bulgaria
Croatia – Caritas Republic of Croatia
Czech Republic – Charita Česká republika
Denmark – Caritas Danmark
England and Wales – where there are two Caritas agencies: CAFOD and Caritas – Social Action
Estonia – Caritas Estonia
Finland – Suomen Caritas ry
France – where the Caritas agency is Secours catholique
Georgia – Caritas Georgia
Germany – Caritas Deutschland
Greece – Κάριτας Ελλάς
Hungary – Katolikus Karitász
Iceland – Caritas Iceland
Ireland – where the Caritas agency is Trócaire
Italy – Caritas Italiana
Latvia – Caritas Latvija
Lithuania – Caritas Lithuania
Luxembourg – Caritas Luxembourg
Malta – Caritas Malta
Moldova – Caritas Moldova
Netherlands – where the Caritas agency is CORDAID
Norway – Caritas Norge
Poland – Caritas Polska
Portugal – Caritas Portugal
Romania – Confederația Caritas România
Russia – Caritas in the European part of Russia
Scotland – where the Caritas agency is SCIAF
Serbia – Caritas Republic of Serbia
Slovakia – Slovenská katolícka charita
Slovenia – Slovenska Karitas
Spain – Cáritas Española
Sweden – Caritas Sverige
Switzerland – Caritas Switzerland
Ukraine – (Caritas Ukraine), with over 30 regional organisations operating across Ukraine
Ukraine – (Caritas-Spes Ukraine), with 34 regional organisations operating across Ukraine
North America, Central America and the Caribbean
Antillas
Canada – Development and Peace (Caritas Canada)
Costa Rica
Cuba – Caritas Cuba
Dominican Republic
El Salvador – Caritas El Salvador
Guatemala – Caritas Guatemala
Haiti
Honduras
Mexico – Caritas Mexico
Nicaragua
Panamá
Puerto Rico
United States – Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, Caritas USA, formerly Caritas Christi Health Care
Oceania
Regional body Caritas Oceania, with seven member agencies including:
Australia – Caritas Australia claims involvement in peacebuilding and reconciliation programs in Brazil, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea and elsewhere.
Fiji – Caritas Fiji operates through the Archdiocese of Suva, and conducts humanitarian and development projects within Fiji.
New Zealand – Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand grew out of Catholic overseas aid organisations in New Zealand in the 1960s, adopting its present name in 1998. With a focus on the Pacific, it provides development aid to Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, and within New Zealand; while also providing humanitarian aid in response to disasters worldwide.
Pacific Islands – CEPAC Commission for Justice and Development (CCJD), known as Caritas Pacific Islands, became a member of Caritas Internationalis in 1983, and is responsible for 19 states and territories across the Pacific.
Papua New Guinea – Caritas PNG was established in 1974, and runs development and education projects within Papua New Guinea.
Samoa – Caritas Samoa claims to give assistance to low income families, provides capacity-building initiatives for women, help with the improvement of rural waters supplies, and provides assistance to address needs caused by natural disasters.
Tonga – Caritas Tonga became a member of Caritas Internationalis in 2002, and focuses on education and freshwater provision within Tonga.
South America
Argentina – Caritas Argentina
Bolivia – Caritas de Bolivia
Brasil – Caritas Brasil
Chile – Caritas Chile
Colombia- Caritas Colombiana
Ecuador – Caritas de Ecuador
Peru – Caritas Perú
Uruguay – Caritas Uruguay
Venezuela – Caritas de Venezuela
See also
Christian humanitarian aid
Catholic social teaching
Church asylum
Fidesco International
Catholic Relief Services
References
External links
Caritas Internationalis
Caritas Catholica Belgica in ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
Archives of Caritas Catholica Belgica in ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
Archives of Caritas Catholica Flanders in ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
Religious organizations established in 1897
Catholic charities
International Christian organizations
International charities
Development charities
Humanitarian aid organizations
Social welfare charities
Christian relief organizations