Caritas confederation chooses a new secretary general

Michel Roy, the new Caritas Internationalis secretary general Credits: Elodie Perriot/Caritas

Michel Roy, the new Caritas Internationalis secretary general
Credits: Elodie Perriot/Caritas

Caritas Internationalis has approved Michel Roy as its new secretary general for the next four years.

Caritas representatives chose Mr Roy with a majority of votes during the General Assembly on Thursday 26 May.

Mr Roy is currently international lobbying and advocacy director for Secours Catholique (Caritas France). He will follow Lesley-Anne Knight who was Caritas Internationalis secretary general from 2007-2011.

Speaking to the assembly in Rome immediately after the vote, Mr Roy said, “I’m very moved by this. I’d like to thank Lesley-Anne for the work she’s done so far and also all of you for the work that you do for this network which reflects the hopes of the poor to build a better world.”

Mr Roy will serve as secretary general alongside Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga. Cardinal Rodriguez from Honduras was re-elected for a second term as Caritas Internationalis president this week.

Mr Roy has thirty years experience working for Secours Catholique in France. He began by working for the diocesan office in Paris in 1981.

He has worked on global governance, improving development financing, promoting peace and lobbying extractive industries through membership of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Governing Board and Coordinator of the French « Publish what you pay » platform.

Mr Roy speaks French, Spanish and English. He has an MA in economics and degree in Oriental languages and studies.

For more information please contact Michelle Hough on +39 334 2344136 or hough@caritas.va

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