The former Caritas Internationalis President Dom Affonso Felippe Gregory, Bishop Emeritus of Imperatriz, Maranho, died of Leukaemia on Wednesday 6 August in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He was 78 years old. 

Dom Affonso was President from 1991 to 1999 of Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella organisation for 162 national Catholic charities.

The current Caritas Internationalis President, Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga said, “Dom Affonso dedicated his life to working for the poor and socially excluded.

“He was an outstanding servant for Caritas both in Brazil, Latin America and on the global stage as Caritas Internationalis President. His dedication to the cause of social justice will be remembered by all who worked alongside him.”

Dom Affonso was a priest for 52 years. He worked for Caritas Brazil from 1983 to 1990, before being elected as Caritas Internationalis President. He guided the Caritas Confederation as it responded to the end of the Cold War, the genocide in Rwanda, and conflict in the former-Yugoslavia.
 
Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Lesley-Anne Knight said, “From the very beginning of his career working with the urban poor in Brazil, Dom Affonso articulated a lucid message of justice for people on the margins of society. He never gave up in working tirelessly with the poor to help them find their own solutions.

“He will be remembered as one of the most outstanding leaders of Caritas for his wisdom, humility, warmth, and hard work. He was President at a key historical period. His leadership on the issues of social exclusion, integral human development, and the formulation of a grassroots response to peace and reconciliation still has a massive impact on our work today.”            

Messages of solidarity can be sent to: lmgregory@terra.com.br or mfrankt@ig.com.br

Please call +39 06 698 79 725 or +39 334 359 0700 or email nicholson@caritas.va with any requests.