The themes explored on Day 3 of the 22nd General Assembly of Caritas is “Unity in Diversity to fulfill the mission of the Church: Caritas and Synodality” and “Regionalization: Caritas Regions and their role in the Confederation“. The day commenced with the Holy Mass followed by a panel discussion on synodality. In his opening remarks, H.Em. Card. Mario Grech (Secretary General, General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops) reminded the Caritas representatives present that the preferential option for the poor and the most vulnerable is “an essential dimension of the Christian vocation and is constitutive to Caritas as a humanitarian organisation of the Church”. Following his opening remarks, Caritas leaders (H.E. Msgr. J. L. Azuaje Ayala, Archbishop of Maracaibo and President Venezuela Bishops’ Conference; Tetiana Stawnychy, President of Caritas Ukraine; Shimray Mungreiphy, Incoming Regional coordinator of Caritas Asia; and Fr. Michel Abboud, President of Caritas Lebanon) shared their experiences of synodality, listening and communion in their own countries and regions.
Following the panel discussion, over 300 General Assembly participants were divided into 30 groups to discuss how the Confederation can live synodality as Caritas. They had around 45mins to explore together the following key areas:
1. What are the best practices shared,
2. What are the main challenges identified,
3. Highlight and propose one key action to strengthen synodal commitment.
In the afternoon, the 4th Statutory Session on the new Strategic Framework 2024-2030 for the Caritas Confederation was presented and approved with 146 votes in favour of the proposal. Stewardship, subsidiarity, dignity of the human person and solidarity are the four key values on which the five orientations of this strategy was developed.
The 5th Statutory Session on the Financial Framework (2024-2027) was also presented and approved with a unanimous vote in favour of the new proposal. A significant innovation in this new Financial Framework is the introduction of a new system for statutory fees for Member Organisations in order to support fragile members and empower regions with additional resource allocations.
Following the statutory sessions of the day, the General Assembly participants were again divided into smaller working groups to discuss the theme of Regionalisation. The groups discussed: What are your expectations of the regional secretariat/regional coordinator?, How could the regions strengthen localisation? and How could you contribute to regionalisation? Caritas leaders also shared best practice examples from Europa (Ukraine conflict humanitarian response), LAC (RedLac), Africa (inter-religious advocacy) and Asia (SHAPE, PEACH, SAFBIN).
In the evening, smaller working groups were formed to workshop ideas on how Caritas can promote continued ownership of the newly-approved Strategic Framework at all levels of the Confederation in the short and long term.
In the spirit of the themes of Unity in Diversity and Regionalisation, different Caritas representatives decorated an art installation (representing the map of the world) with flowers and plants as a symbolic gesture exemplifying the impact of beauty, hope and regenerating life, all of which are the fruits of Caritas’ mission and works in our world.
On the evening of May 13, the 22nd General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis elected Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi as the new President of Caritas Internationalis to serve the Confederation over the next four years. Archbishop of Tokyo, Rev. Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi SVD, is the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan and the Secretary General of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).
The Confederation also elected its Representative Council (RepCo) which includes 8 women. It is the first time in CI history that the RepCo has over 30% female representation.