Caritas International general assembly May 12-17‎

The 164 national Catholic charities that form the Caritas Internationalis (CI) confederation ‎are holding their general assembly next week in Rome, during which over 300 delegates from across the globe  will set plans for the next 4 years aimed at improving the lives ‎of those living in poverty and misery.‎   The Caritas Internationalis General Assembly will be held May 12-17 on the theme, ‘One Human Family, ‎Caring for Creation’.  ‎“Pope Francis has asked us to go to the ‘peripheries’ to help those in need,” said Caritas Internationalis ‎President Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. “During the Caritas Internationalis General Assembly, ‎the peripheries will come to Rome to seek better ways to improve our service to the most vulnerable”, said the Salesian cardinal who is stepping down from CI after 8 years.  Philippines Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila and Maronite Archbishop Joseph Soueif of Cyprus  ‎are the two candidates for president‎.

‎‎“Inequality, migration, climate change, conflict, and the scandal of hunger are challenges facing Caritas ‎and its mission to promote development and justice,” said Michel Roy, Secretary General of Caritas ‎Internationalis.  He said there were major opportunities coming up to work towards this goal, such as a new ‎papal encyclical on human ecology, the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 21st Conference of Parties on climate change in Paris.‎

Among the delegates will be 50 extra guests representing young people, volunteers, grassroots ‎communities and campaigners against hunger.‎ After the General Assembly, Caritas delegates will go to the EXPO 2015 in Milan for an official EXPO ‎Caritas Day on 19 May. The event is part of Caritas’ campaign ‘One Human Family, Food for All’ ‎which aims to end hunger by 2025.‎ (Source: CI)