Dear colleagues and friends in Caritas,

First of all I want to thank you for who you are and for what you do.

I feel great pride at what we achieve together. Our work takes place against the backdrop of increased natural disasters, conflict in over 30 countries, higher levels of migration, lack of progress on meeting aid promises by rich countries, and the painfully slow response to the devastating effects of climate change.

I have seen a recent report that donations to some of our Caritas organisations, instead of diminishing, have augmented at this time of global economic crisis. This is a sign that the risen Christ can motivate more love than hatred in the world, more concern for our neighbour in need than selfishness and greed.

We have to believe strongly that we can transform our society into something better. A better place to live, a better place to work and a better place to worship God.

Our name Caritas Internationalis means literally “the love between nations” and to achieve the greatest impact on poverty and injustice, across all our Regions worldwide, we believe that we can achieve more working together than separately.

As we prepare to celebrate Easter, let us hold in our hearts the recent victims of the earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy. May their suffering be transformed by the joy of the Risen Lord. My prayer for the Caritas community worldwide is that we be a sign and sacrament of God’s redeeming love for all humanity.

In the love and peace of Christ,

Oscar Andres Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga
President