Source: http://www.news.va/en/news/68388
Timestamp: 2013-05-18 22:10:35+00:00

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RINNOVATO QUADRO GIURIDICO DI CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS English
DECRETO GENERALE ARTICOLO ESPLICATIVO DEL DECRETO (DI MONS. OSVALDO NEVES DE ALMEIDA)
§ 2. Qualunque testo di contenuto o orientamento dottrinale o morale, emanato da Caritas Internationalis, deve sempre essere sottoposto alla
preventiva approvazione del Pontificio Consiglio Cor Unum, fatte salve le competenze generali della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede.
Art. 7. § 1. Caritas Internationalis è tenuta a fornire per iscritto tutte le informazioni che le siano richieste dal Pontificio Consiglio Cor Unum ed altresì dalla Segreteria di Stato e, per le rispettive competenze, da ogni altro Dicastero, Organismo o Ufficio interessato della Curia Romana e dal Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano, inviandone copia al Pontificio Consiglio Cor Unum. In particolare, Caritas Internationalis deve fornire, a richiesta delle menzionate Autorità, le necessarie informazioni
sul personale, specificamente quelle indicate dagli articoli 9 §1, 1°-3°; 10 §1, 1°-3°, 5° e 10 §2 del Regolamento Generale del Personale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano, nonché sui singoli contratti di lavoro di ogni dirigente o dipendente o collaboratore e sui relativi dati inerenti al rapporto di lavoro e alla situazione previdenziale, nel rispetto del can. 220 del Codice di Diritto Canonico e delle Promesse di cui all’art. 6, 6°.
ARTICOLO ESPLICATIVO DEL DECRETO (DI MONS. OSVALDO NEVES DE ALMEIDA) TESTO IN LINGUA ITALIANA
TESTO IN LINGUA INGLESE TESTO IN LINGUA ITALIANA Nei suoi 61 anni di vita, Caritas Internationalis è sempre stata uno strumento privilegiato della carità della Chiesa. La Santa Sede, raccogliendo la lunga esperienza di questa benemerita istituzione, e in modo speciale gli sviluppi degli ultimi anni, ha voluto aggiornare lo status giuridico di Caritas Internationalis per sostenerne meglio l’attività nel contesto odierno.
Questa persona giuridica pubblica è retta anzitutto, anche se non esclusivamente, dalla normativa propria e dalle disposizioni pertinenti del Codice di Diritto Canonico. Il Chirografo Durante l’Ultima Cena, nel riconoscere lo speciale legame di Caritas Internationalis con la Sede Apostolica, ha stabilito implicitamente che il suo governo e il suo operare facciano riferimento alla Prima Sezione della Segreteria di Stato (cfr Giovanni Paolo II, Cost. ap. Pastor Bonus, art. 41). In pari tempo il Chirografo ha affidato al Pontificio Consiglio Cor Unum il compito di seguire ed accompagnare l’attività di Caritas Internationalis. Anche se non sono state menzionate esplicitamente dal Chirografo, sono rimaste ovviamente vigenti rispetto ad essa le competenze generali di tutela dottrinale della Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede (cfr ibid., art. 48), nonché quelle della Prefettura per gli Affari Economici, di vigilanza e di controllo delle amministrazioni che dipendono dalla Santa Sede o che ad essa fanno capo, quale che sia l’autonomia di cui possano godere (cfr ibid.,
art. 176). Più in generale, attesa la portata tendenzialmente universale dell’azione di Caritas Internationalis, sono state fatte salve le competenze della Santa Sede per l’ordinamento dei beni ecclesiastici, e specialmente la retta amministrazione dei medesimi beni (cfr ibid., art. 98). Inoltre, l’attività di Caritas Internationalis presso Governi e Organismi internazionali, considerato che si svolge a nome della Chiesa e coinvolge il munus pastorale del Santo Padre, chiama in causa la Seconda Sezione della Segreteria di Stato.
In its 61 years of existence, Caritas Internationalishas always been a privileged
instrument of the Church’s charitable activity. Drawing upon its long
experience of this worthy institution, and in particular the developments of
recent years, the Holy See has sought to update the juridical status of Caritas
Internationalis, in order the better to support its activity in the
During the Audience at which he received the participants in the 19th General
Assembly of Caritas Internationalis on 27 May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI
outlined the historical profile and ecclesial nature of this institution, which
is a privileged setting for the participation of the lay faithful in the
apostolate of the hierarchy (cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic
Constitution Lumen Gentium, 27).
On that occasion, the Holy Father recalled that Caritas Internationalis
cannot be assimilated into the major Non-Governmental Organizations, even though
it carries out with exemplary professionalism and competence roles that they too
fulfil, in particular the fight against poverty, the coordination of
humanitarian aid and international advocacy.
Caritas Internationalis was the brainchild of Pius XII after the
horrors of the Second World War, and it was intended to demonstrate the
solidarity of the whole Church in the face of the many situations of conflict
and emergency in the world. In 2004, Blessed John Paul II gave it public
canonical juridical personality by means of the Chirograph Durante l'ultima
Caritas Internationalis has a universal profile and it carries out its
specific task in the name of the Church. It is called to foster communion
between the universal Church and particular Churches as well as among all the
faithful. It is to bring the Church’s message into political and social life
at the international level (cf. Audience to the participants at the General
Assembly of Caritas Internationalis, 27 May 2011). The Holy See, for
its part, has the task of following its activity and exercising vigilance in
order that both its humanitarian and charitable action and the content of the
documents that it disseminates may be in harmony with the Apostolic See and with
the Church’s Magisterium, and in order that it may be administered with
competence and transparency.
This public juridical person is governed principally, though not exclusively,
by its proper legislation and by the relevant provisions of the Code of Canon
law. The Chirograph Durante l’Ultima Cena, in recognizing the special
bond linking Caritas Internationalis with the Apostolic See, implicitly
established that its governance and operation should make reference to the First
Section of the Secretariat of State (cf. John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution Pastor
Bonus, art. 41). At the same time, the Chirograph gave the Pontifical
Council Cor Unum the task of following and accompanying the activity of Caritas
Internationalis. Even though they are not explicitly mentioned in the
Chirograph, the general competences of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith for doctrinal oversight obviously remain in force (cf. ibid., art.
48), as do those of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs for vigilance over and
monitoring of the administrations that are dependent on the Holy See, or of
which the Holy See has charge, whatever the autonomy these administrations may
happen to enjoy (cf. ibid., art. 176). More generally, given the
universal range of Caritas Internationalis’ activity, the Holy See’s
competences for the regulation of ecclesiastical goods and especially for its
correct administration have been retained (cf. ibid., art. 98). Moreover,
the activity of Caritas Internationalis with respect to Governments and
international Organizations, given that it is carried out in the Church’s name
and involves the Holy Father’s munus pastorale, also concerns the
Second Section of the Secretariat of State.
The process of updating the juridical framework of Caritas
The experience garnered in almost eight years of applying the Chirograph Durante
l’Ultima Cena has made it possible to understand in greater detail how to
carry forward a process of juridical updating that not only respects but
expresses even better the nature of the organization and clarifies the
distribution of competences among Dicasteries and offices with an interest in it.
Moreover, in these years and especially in recent months, a number of
Pastors and members of the lay faithful have shared their ideas with the Holy
See and have offered helpful suggestions, manifesting their sincere interest in Caritas
The Holy Father himself, addressing the participants at the said General
Assembly of May 2011, set out the fundamental principles to be developed in the
Meanwhile, between January and May of last year, a working group of
representatives from Caritas Internationalis and the Holy See studied a
new version of the Statutes of Caritas Internationalis, with the
intention of resolving the interlinked doctrinal, juridical and economic issues.
The draft Statutes were then approved by the General Assembly and consigned
to the Holy See in Autumn 2011.
During the said meetings of the working group, one of the points to emerge
was the need for legislation to complement the Chirograph Durante l’Ultima
Cena, as a normative reference-point for the application of the new Statutes.
Having received the draft Statutes, the Holy Father gave precise instructions to
the Cardinal Secretary of State on the contents of the said text due to
complement the Chirograph. Accordingly, in deference to these indications, the
General Decree was drawn up and the new Statutes and Internal Rules were revised
In deference to the Holy Father’s indications, articles 1, 2 and 3 of the
General Decree clarify the competences of the principal Dicasteries involved. In
this regard, first and foremost, the role of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum
has been strengthened (art. 1), the Dicastery, that is, that follows the
institutional activity of Caritas Internationalis and is responsible for
approving its texts with doctrinal or moral content. As mentioned earlier, the
public nature of Caritas Internationalis and its participation in the
Holy Father’s munus pastorale require it at all times, not least in its
documents, to express transparently the charity and solicitude of the Church.
Article 2 concerns the First Section and Article 3 the Second Section of the
Secretariat of State. Articles 4 and 5 establish guidelines for the future
redaction of specific norms governing employment of personnel and the
preparation of a suitable welfare regime. The employees of Caritas
Internationalis, in fact, while they are not Vatican employees, are part of
the working community of the Apostolic See (cf. Apostolic Constitution Pastor
Bonus, Appendix II) and they need specific employment norms. Articles 4 and
5 then attribute to the Labour Office of the Apostolic See competence for
disputes over employment and welfare provision and they clarify the role of the
Tribunals of Vatican City State and of the Roman Rota in relation to Caritas
Article 6, in order to underline the close bond between the organization in
question and the Successor of Peter as well as the Pope’s particular attention
towards it, establishes that at least three members of the Executive Board be
papal appointments. This allows the Holy Father to designate individuals of
specific proven competence, particular those coming from poor regions or regions
deserving of privileged attention. Until the next General Assembly they will be:
the Most Reverend Paul Yembuardo Ouédrago, Archbishop of Bobo-Dioulasso in
Burkina Faso, the Most Reverend Youssef Antoine Soueif, Maronite Archbishop of
Cyprus, and the Most Reverend Bernard Hebda, Bishop of Gaylord in the United
States. It remains the case, however, that the majority of members are chosen by
national Caritas agencies, which therefore continue to be responsible for
the governance of this important structure of the Confederation.
Moreover, provision is made for an Ecclesiastical Assistant and a Support
Commission. The figure of the Ecclesiastical Assistant was mentioned in the
Chirograph Durante l’Ultima Cena, but his precise tasks and his place
within the structures of Caritas Internationalis were not defined. The
Support Commission, on the other hand, is new. It is to be composed of three
experts with a merely consultative role as far as the functioning of Caritas
Internationalis is concerned, that is to say, a supporting role designed to
ensure that it follows the new norms and meets its obligations towards the
international community, especially in the areas of welfare provision,
In addition to the nihil obstat of the Holy See for candidates for the
offices of President and Secretary-General, already provided for in the
Chirograph Durante l’Ultima Cena and in the previous Statutes, the
General Decree and the new Statutes require a nihil obstat for the
candidates for Treasurer, given that this office has a fundamental role in
preserving the rights of the Member Organizations and, up to some extent, also
Article 7 re-affirms the general principle that significant canonical and
Vatican legislation is binding upon those who are employed in entities situated
within Vatican City and institutionally linked to the Holy See.
In the ongoing dialogue between the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, the
Secretariat of State and the officers of Caritas Internationalis, most of
the content of the General Decree has actually been addressed, especially that
which pertains to the administrative and disciplinary aspects of employment, and
The Holy See holds that the new legislation complementing the Chirograph Durante
l’Ultima Cena is of significant assistance to the institution, worthy of
the human and spiritual quality and professionalism of its officers. In
particular, today’s norms shed full light upon the distinctive identity of Caritas
Internationalis, which is both its strength and the source of its particular

References: § 2

Art. 7
 § 1
 §1
 §1
 §2
 art. 41
 art. 48

art. 176
 art. 98
 art. 41
 art.
48
 art. 176
 art. 98