One Human Family working for Zero Poverty

The Caritas Internationalis' 19th General Assembly has come to an end. Last week Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed the Holy See’s support for the organization saying that in collaboration with the Church’s pastors “national Caritas agencies are called to continue their vital witness to the mystery of God’s healing and transforming love made manifest in Jesus Christ. The same – he said - holds true for Caritas Internationalis, which can rest assured that it will enjoy the assistance and support of the Holy See.”
Meanwhile, the assembly re-elected Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga as president and named Michel Roy as new secretary general of Caritas Internationalis.
Amongst the 300 delegates from 165 national Caritas organisations from around the world was Reverand Larry J. Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA, a member of the Caritas Internationalis umbrella organization. Reverand Snyder explained the role of Caritas in the United States saying that in the US the work of Caritas is very much integrated into the work of the Church. Each diocese has its own caritas, and there is also a national aid organization that channels the focus and the needs of the people. Many think - Rev Snyder pointed out - that there are not many poor people in the US but in fact there are over 40 million of people living in poverty, people whom Caritas helps every day providing them with the basic needs as well as with other social sercvices. For us, he said, our work is a very important part of evangelization that happens also by putting the Church's teachings into practice. Rev Snyder also explained that the support that comes from Caritas Internationalis whenever there is a disaster, consists in a fundamental coordination and communication which allows for an operative response. And - he said - It also gives local realities a vehicle to talk about integral human development as per Pope Paul VIth's encyclical "Populorum Progressio". In regards to the specific challenges faced by Catholic relief organisations in the US, Rev. Snyder spoke about the responsibility of helping people see that when people are in need they are our neighbour, our brother and our sister - even although he said - public policy does not always reflect that need and those priorities. So, one of the main challenges is to educate people so that public policy will also follow the principle of always putting people first. listen...