What is Caritas?

Caritas has many faces. Community centre and international relief agency. Home for the elderly and school for the former child soldier. HIV care provider and human rights campaigner.

Caritas is all these things and much more. Caritas provides assistance to the poor, the vulnerable and the excluded on behalf of a billion of Catholics around the world. Caritas works on humanitarian emergencies, on human development, and on campaigning against poverty, exclusion, intolerance and discrimination.



What sets us apart?

Caritas is a global movement working in solidarity for a fairer world, inspired by the example of Christian faith and Catholic Social Teaching. It is unacceptable that millions of people are suffering through dehumanising poverty and social injustice and we want change.

The 165 national Caritas members make the biggest network of Catholic charities in the world devoted to reducing poverty and campaigning for social justice.

Mostly our members have Caritas in their names, but not always. We’re a bottom up family and our member identities reflect their different histories.

Think CRS, CAFOD, SCIAF, Cordaid, Trocaire, Secours Catholique, CADEV, and Karina. All are Caritas and that’s only a start. 


Transformers

Caritas is part of the communities that we work with. In that way we have a greater impact on many lives. We’re inside working out, not outside working in, always without regard to race or religion.

We’re challenging cultural, local, national and international governance structures that undermine the ability of our communities to live sustainable and just lives.


We work in three main areas

Emergencies: If there is a disaster, we’re the place you go to for safety, the neighbour who organises food and blankets, and the coalition of the good that pulls together global resources to support you. 

Sustainable development: Whether it's access to healthcare, education, or clean water, we work with people to find their own solutions in our provision of social services and long term environmentally sustainable development.

Peace building: From Afghanistan to Colombia, East Timor to Kosovo, Iraq to Zimbabwe, Caritas is on the frontline of bringing about peace and reconciliation, especially through inter-religious dialogue.
Please click here for more information on our guiding values

Tell us your Caritas experience by emailing caritas.internationalis@caritas.va