Caritas (charity)

Caritas (charity)

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Caritas Internationalis
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type = Catholic relief, development and social service organisation
founded_date = 1897
founder =
location =
origins =
key_people =
area_served = Worldwide
focus = Humanitarian aid, International development and social service
method =
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan =
homepage = [http://www.caritas.org Caritas Internationalis]
tax_exempt =
dissolved =
footnotes =

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Collectively and individually their mission is to work to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed. [http://www.caritas.org/jumpCh.asp?idUser=0&idChannel=6&idLang=ENG] The first Caritas organisation was started in Freiburg, Germany, in 1897. Other national Caritas organisations were soon formed in Switzerland (1901) and the United States (Catholic Charities, 1910).

History

when all activities came to a standstill.

Work resumed in 1947, with the approval of the Secretariat of State, and two conferences convened in Lucerne 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 organisations at the international level, especially at the United Nations.

The Holy Year in 1950 saw the beginning of a union of Caritas organisations. Following a suggestion by Msgr 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 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 organisations in 13 countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.

In 1957, the Confederation changed its name to Caritas Internationalis to reflect the growing international presence of Caritas members on every continent. Today, the Confederation is one of the world's largest humanitarian networks with 162 members working in over 200 countries and territories. Its General Secretariat is located in the Palazzo San Calisto in Vatican City.

The President of Caritas Internationalis is Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga and the Secretary General is Lesley-Anne Knight.

Caritas national and regional agencies

The full membership list of Caritas organisations includes:

ub-Saharan Africa

45 national agencies

Asia

23 national agencies including:
*Philippines - [http://www.caritasmanila.org.ph Caritas Manila]
*Hong Kong - Caritas Hong Kong operated by the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong
*Indonesian Caritas-the Archdiocese of Semarang - operated by the Archdiocese of Semarang
*Cambodia - [http://www.caritascambodia.org Caritas Cambodia]
*Vietnam (new)Australia

Europe

Caritas Europa with 48 national agencies including:
*Austria
*Belgium: Caritas Catholica Belgica
*Bosnia and Herzegovina
*Croatia
*England and Wales - where there are two Caritas agencies: CAFOD and Caritas - Social Action
*Germany
*Ireland - where the Caritas agency is Trócaire
*Poland
*Portugal
*Scotland - where the Caritas agency is SCIAF
*Slovenia
*Switzerland
*The Netherlands - where the Caritas agency is CORDAID
*Ukraine

America

*Antillas
*Argentina- [http://www.caritas.org.ar/ Caritas Argentina]
*Bolivia
*Brasil - [http://www.caritasbrasileira.org/ Caritas Brasil]
*Canada- [http://www.devp.org/ Development and Peace (Caritas Canada)]
*Chile
*Colombia
*Costa Rica
*Cuba
*República Dominicana
*Ecuador
*El Salvador
*Guatemala
*Haiti
*Honduras
*Mexico- [http://www.caritas-mexico.org/ Caritas Mexico]
*Nicaragua
*Panamá
*Perú- [http://www.caritas.org.pe Cáritas Perú]
*Puerto Rico
*Uruguay
*United States- [http://www.catholiclinks.org/caritasunitedstates.htm C aritas USA]
*Venezuela

Middle East and North Africa

17 national agencies

Oceania

6 regional agencies, including:
* Australia: website [http://www.caritas.org.au Caritas Australia]
* New Zealand - [http://www.caritas.org.nz/ Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand]
* Caritas PNG

External links

* [http://www.caritas.org Caritas Internationalis]
* [http://www.cafod.org.uk CAFOD]
* [http://www.caritas.org.hk Caritas - Hong Kong]
* [http://www.caritasmanila.org.ph Caritas - Manila]
* [http://www.trocaire.org Trócaire]
* [http://www.sciaf.org.uk SCIAF]
* [http://caritas.pl/ Caritas - Poland]
* [http://www.caritas.at/ Caritas - Austria]
* [http://www.caritas-russia.ru Caritas - Russia]


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