22nd GA Daily Wrap: Day 4 and 5

On Sunday (May 15), a spiritual retreat was held for members attending the 22nd General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis at Fraterna Domus in Sacrofano, north of Rome. In the morning, spiritual reflections were led by Fr Rev. Fr. Manuel Morujão and His Eminence Cardinal Antonio Tagle inspired by the Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti. The theme of Fraternal Reconciliation was also explored in reference to the stories of the Good Samaritan, Cain and Abel, Joseph and his 11 brothers, and the Resurrected Jesus – whose glorified body still showed the wounds of His Crucifixion.

Cardinal Tagle highlighted the link between truth, justice and forgiveness. He said that forgiveness does not require forgetting times of pain and suffering, but rather a purification of past memories. He said acknowledging the truth can strengthen a person’s decision to move forward and not be defeated by past trials and setbacks. The retreat concluded with the celebration of the Holy Mass which was animated by the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.

Day 5 of the 22nd General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis commences with a spiritual reflection and a panel discussion, presided by His Eminence Cardinal Soane Patita Paini Mafi (President of Caritas Oceania) on “Strengthening Fraternal Cooperation in the Caritas Confederation: Where we are and way forward”. Leaders from Caritas Senegal (Abbe Alphonse Seck), CRS (Linda Gamova) and Caritas Poland (Ireneusz Krause) shared best practices and experiences of fraternal cooperation within the Caritas Confederation and with other partners. Following the discussion, 30 Working Groups discussed the following question areas: Catholic identity: 1. What do you feel about fraternal cooperation?, 2. Local leadership: Why is local leadership important to the success of partnership? 3. Evolution of fraternal cooperation and partnership: What is the priority next step in the implementation of fraternal cooperation?

After midday, feedback on the smaller 30 Working Groups discussions “Synodality, Regionalisation, Strategic Framework and Fraternal Cooperation” (Day 3) and “Strengthening Fraternal Cooperation within the Confederation” (Day 5) were presented to the entire General Assembly. The importance of listening, respect for diversity, clear and consistent communications, honesty, context, and converting principles into actions were among the common key points of feedback shared by the 30 Working Groups.

The 7th Statutory Session on Motions was held and ratified with a majority vote in the afternoon and was followed by an interactive event showcasing the Caritas Internationalis global campaign “Together We”. The event brought together Caritas testimonies, achievements and best practices from Europe, North America and Latin America highlighting the impact of social and environmental degradation on communities, and particularly from the most vulnerable.

Following a short break, an informative session led by the CI Safeguarding Committee, was held on CI Management Standards (CIMS) and Safeguarding, based on the theme “Building our house on the rock: Ensuring stronger, safer and more accountable Caritas (Mt 7:24-26). Delegates were also informed on how to apply for the CI Organisational Development Solidarity Fund.

During the evening, Mr. Alistair Dutton was elected as the Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis.

Commenting on his appointment, Alistair said: “I want to thank you for the confidence and trust you’ve expressed in me. I am honoured and delighted to have been elected as Secretary General. Caritas has been my home, my family and my vocation for almost 30 years and I’m really looking forward to going on to serve it in this new role.”

Mrs. Kirsty Robertson, the CEO of Caritas Australia, was elected as the new Vice President of Caritas Internationalis and Mr. Patrick Debucquois was elected Treasurer of CI.

15/05/2023 Uncategorised by Claudia Lombardi

22nd GA Daily Wrap: Day 4 and 5

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