Celebrations

Our warmest support to Caritas Bolivia, Paraguay and Côte d’Ivoire who marked 50 years and Caritas Sri Lanka who marked 40 years of standing with the most vulnerable.

Also, our solidarity goes to Caritas Kosova, Samoa, and Vietnam who have applied for membership to the confederation. Caritas Vietnam opened its doors again after being closed by the government for 32 years.

Our warmest congratulations also to Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, who celebrated 30 years of being a bishop.

And sadness

Caritas united in sorrow for the staff of its members and of partners who were killed as they sought to build peace in their shattered communities.

Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul in northern Iraq was kidnapped and was found dead on 13 March. Archbishop Rahho was a man who sought peace and dialogue in a country at war.

Rev. Fr Karunaratnam was killed in a bomb blast on 20 April in the north of Sri Lanka. He was the Chairman of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights, which aimed at recognizing the human rights of the minority Tamil community.

Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore was hit by two bomb blasts in April. The Caritas offices, though not a target, were badly damaged. Mr. Pervaiz Tariq, the Security Guard, and Nirab Samuel, the 3 year old daughter of the Bishop’s driver died.

Mr. Felipe Landazury of Caritas in Tumaco helped people forced from their homes in one of Colombia’s worst conflict zones. Armed men shot Mr. Landazury in June.

Caritas also said goodbye to...

In May, in Aima in Pathein, Myanmar, Fr Andrew Soe Win died in the act of saving his people from Cyclone Nargis. His body was found two weeks later.

Former Caritas Internationalis President from 1991 to 1999 Dom Affonso Felippe Gregory died of Leukaemia on 6 August in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Caritas Internationalis Financial Advisor Wim Van Leeuwen died suddenly on 18 November in Rome. He had joined the General Secretariat staff in September after 30 years service with Cordaid, the Caritas member in the Netherlands. He was 59.