Caritas Internationals, 70 years of unity in North America

Amedeo Lomonaco – Vatican City

“Protecting Human Dignity Against Poverty for Seven Decades”. This is the theme of an online conference organized by Caritas Internationalis as part of its 70th anniversary celebrations. Founded on December 12, 1951, at the initiative of Pope Pius XII, the International Federation brings together 162 national Caritas organizations. Seven Web pages Caritas Internationalis is dedicated to seven operating regions scheduled for December 12: North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North Africa and Oceania. The first of these seven online meetings was dedicated to working in North America. An opportunity for Caritas to think about the changes that have taken place in this area in the areas of integration and the fight against poverty. The Caritas Network has also been the center of humanitarian emergency discussions in Haiti, where it is most active.

Spread the grace

After their introduction by Marta Petrosillo, Director of Communications at Caritas Internationalis, Secretary-General Aloisius John addressed the gathering. This is the 70th anniversary, he said “Opportunity to Celebrate Seven Decades of Labor for the Poor”. Caritas is a tool anywhere in the world. “Serve and support the most vulnerable and ensure a decent life for them. This is what Pope Francis is asking us. He insisted. Because the poor should also be included in standard schemes “Priority preference for the poor leads to living grace”. For that, “We need an international community, a civil society. We must help each other to unite a community capable of promoting integrated growth., He explained. The epidemic has raised awareness of the importance of solidarity, and Caritas is at the forefront in the regions of North America: millions of people have been directly assisted by the local Caritas network. Aloisius Joan said the main challenge is “Globalize Unity by Hope”.

A charity network

During the conference, it was recalled that the three oldest organizations of the Caritas Federation are based in North America. The Catholic Relief Service (CRS) was founded in 1943 by the American Conference of Catholic Bishops and provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 110 countries and territories. Founded in 1910, Catholic Charities USA It is a network of charities serving the poor, especially housing and assistance to migrants and refugees. Development and Peace – Founded in 1967, Caritas Canada is a democratic movement of international solidarity committed to finding solutions to the social, political and economic structures characterized by injustice.

CRS’s commitment to the world

However, the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) was not the only one interested in the United States. Kim Bosniak of the Catholic Relief Service recalled that thanks to the programs promoted by the organization, 1.2 million farmers from around the world have been helped. It helped tens of thousands of young people enter the world of work and prevented 11,000 deaths from malaria. Especially in Central America, thanks to CRS, many farmers have been able to develop techniques to help them stay in their country and avoid emigration. Various programs have been supported in response to the crisis caused by the epidemic. Kim Bosniak recalled that the Catholic Relief Service, in partnership with local partners and the local church, has helped more than 200,000 people in Haiti. Welcome centers for immigrants have also been set up.

Support during infections

Dense network of projects Catholic foundations in the United States support the work of solidarity in the USA. Jean Peel of Caritas North America recalls that there are more than 500,000 homeless people in this country. In recent months, the Catholic Foundation USA has responded with a series of initiatives to the crisis triggered by the epidemic. In total, more than 15 million people have been helped by 2020, and 450 new food distribution sites have been created, most of them in churches. Another important area in which the Catholic Foundation USA is involved is assistance to immigrants and refugees.

Caritas Canada and Youth

During the conference, the work being done for the younger generation was also emphasized. Rebecca Rathbone, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada demonstrates that an important part of Caritas Canada’s work is related to youth work in schools. Various programs are thus supported to make the youth socially and environmentally responsible. Specific programs have also been funded to train the younger generation in international cooperation. Rebecca Rathbone said the efforts show that young people in North America are willing to get involved in humanitarian projects. Through Caritas Canada, financial assistance was provided in support of projects in Lebanon, which was finally pointed out.

After North America, focus on Europe

This first online conference provided a comprehensive overview of Caritas’ work in the North American region. The next Caritas Internationalis webinar is scheduled for November 4th. It is about Caritas’ work in Europe.