Caritas is an international Catholic organisation that strives for social justice around the world. Caritas is a Catholic agency for justice, peace and development. The mission of Caritas Inerationalis, which works in more than 200 countries, is to, “serve the poor and to promote charity and justice throughout the world.” Caritas translates to ‘Love in action’ in Latin, and this reflects their desire to bring about positive change in the world by helping those in need. Their goal is to empower and aid communities and individuals who are poor, needy or vulnerable. Aid is given regardless of the differences amongst people, including gender, race, religion or socio-economic position. This is tied to the idea that we are all made in the image of God, which shows that we are all worthy of compassion and respect. Caritas works in four key areas of social action, which are emergency relief, development, advocacy and education.
A social action that has been undertaken by Caritas is emergency relief in the form of aid for refugees of the Rohingya Refugee Crisis. By aiding the refugees of the Rohingya Crisis, Caritas is putting into effect the Catholic Social Justice Principle of Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. The Rohingya Crisis involves the mass displacement of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, with the majority of refugees seeking safety in neighbouring Bangladesh. Rohingya Muslims are an ethinic minority in Myanmar and have been persecuted by the military. Violence initially broke out on 25 August 2017, with at least 6,700 people being killed in the first month of violent attacks. Angry mobs burned down the homes of Rohingya and many thousands of people have been killed, injured or raped by military forces. This created hundreds of thousands of refugees who entered Bangladesh, with no livelihoods and nowhere to live. They settle in one of many refugee camps, where there is poor sanitation, food and water shortages, lack of healthcare and few educational opportunities. Shelter is limited and this combines with poor sanitation to make refugees susceptible to disease. It is estimated that more than 742,000 people have escaped Myanmar to Bangladesh since 2017.
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Caritas is showing compassion for all of those who are experiencing extreme suffering due to religious persecution, displacement, violence and poverty. This fulfills our call from God to help those who are not as fortunate as ourselves. All people are made in the image of God, with individual characteristics that make them special and worthy of life and respect. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is upholding this by sending money to relief agencies in Bangladesh, such as Caritas Bangladesh, to provide food, clean water, medicine, shelter and resources for infrastructure for Rohingya refugees. The Refugee camps are overcrowded and resources are scarce, especially because Bangladesh already suffers from issues of poverty. Residents are suffering from malnutrition, disease and lack of sufficient shelter. Caritas has heard the cries of these people and has used monetary donations to alleviate some of these issues. They have encouraged individuals to donate amounts they can afford to alleviate the suffering of these refugees. Outside aid from Caritas has allowed some pressure to be lifted from the area as it struggles to cope with overpopulation.
This action shows that Caritas has understood the biblical origin of the principle of Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. In Sirach 4:4-5, it states, “Don’t refuse to help a beggar who is in distress. Don’t turn your back on a poor person or give him any reason to curse you.” This source from Scripture shows us that we must help those who reach out to us for help. We must not ignore the cries of the needy. Often it can seem like the easiest thing to do is to ignore the suffering of others and hope that someone else will help. This verse shows us that we must stand up for justice ourselves, just as Caritas has been proactive in providing aid for Rohingya refugees.This is further expressed in Isaiah 58:7, “Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.” We can interpret this as helping anyone who is in need. Our relatives are all people, as we are all God’s children.
In Catholic tradition, it is taught that Christians must show love of their neighbours by helping others who are vulnerable. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it is stated that, “God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them.” This shows us that the Church has a long tradition of caring for the poor and needy. Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics, in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, to care for the poor in this passage. “Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully part of society.” Caritas is fulfilling this by helping Rohingya refugees to form communities where they are able to access their basic needs and where their human rights are upheld. Caritas encourages its supporters to donate, so that individuals and communities around the world can contribute to its work in the Rohingya Crisis.
Another social action that Caritas has undergone is helping communities in Papua New Guinea to undergo development. Many communities in Papua New Guinea are suffering, with an estimated 40% of the population living in poverty. Several human rights abuses are currently occuring and, “rates of family and sexual violence are among the highest in the world.” Caritas has helped several communities to build essential infrastructure such as water systems, health clinics and schools. This allows local people to access clean water and has access to healthcare. The construction of more schools in the Bitokara area has allowed more children to receive an education, which will be hugely beneficial to the next generation. Caritas has also helped communities to establish areas where crops can be grown, which has helped to develop local economies and create jobs where profits go back into the community. Some areas of Papua New Guinea are suffering from the effects of Climate Change. Caritas has helped to relocate refugees from Carteret Island to mainland Papua New Guinea and helped them to build new homes, water supplies and farms. They are ensuring that communities are able to live sustainably, with the resources they need to provide for themselves in the future.
The development programmes in Papua New Guinea show the Catholic Social Justice principle of solidarity. Solidarity is about bringing communities together and helping one another to achieve positive outcomes for all people. It allows us to show compassion for others and understand the suffering of others. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand demonstrates this principle in several ways. They have collaborated with other organisations working in Papua New Guinea, to stand in solidarity and work together to achieve common goals. For example, they have worked with Tulele Peisa and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bouganville to support work in Bougainville in Papua New Guinea. This shows that Caritas wants what is best for the people it is helping, and has recognised that working collaboratively with other local organizations will help to make this easier. The principle of Solidarity is also very clear in the relationship between Caritas, its supporters and the people of Papua New Guinea. Caritas has recognised the needs of the vulnerable in Papua New Guinea and is showing them love and support, as they recognise that all people are a part of God’s family. Even though we may have different religions, values and lifestyles, we must all work together to ensure that the needs of everyone in society are met.
The principle of solidarity is directly linked to biblical scripture. 1 John 3:16-18 says, “This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!” As Catholics, we are called to make sacrifices for the good of others and work towards peace and justice in our world. Caritas has allowed supporters from around the world to stand together with the people from Papua New Guinea and show their desire for love and peace in society. This concept is also demonstrated in Galatians 3:28, which states that, “There is neither Jew or Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” In terms of social justice, this shows us that we must help anyone that needs it, despite differences in race, gender or lifestyle. Caritas is an international organsiation that is helping individuals and communities in Papua New Guinea because they recognise that all people are made in the image of God.
Church tradition encourages solidarity and recognises its importance in solving social issues around the world. In John Paul II’s encyclical letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, he states that, “Interdependence must be transformed into solidarity, based upon the principle that the goods of creation are meant for all.” This shows that the earth’s resources must be shared equally amongst all of God’s people so that everyone has enough to survive. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that, “Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor amongst themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this.” Solidarity is about ensuring that people are not selfish or greedy, but instead are able to use what they have to help the vulnerable. Caritas is fulfilling this by distributing resources and aid to those in Papua New Guinea who are marginalized by the world’s severe imbalance of wealth and resources.
Caritas uses the social action of education to put into effect the Catholic Social Justice Principle of human dignity. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand runs a number of programmes in Catholic schools around New Zealand to encourage the next generation of New Zealanders to strive for social justice. For example, Caritas organised a Social Justice Week for schools in 2019, with the aim of teaching and children about the importance of treating others with respect and recognising the dignity of others. This makes social justice accessible to young people and encourages them to understand the suffering of others, through prayer and fun activities. Caritas New Zealand also runs the Caritas Challenge for young people, which raises awareness of social issues and raises money for these causes.This event is held annually and thousands of students participate, with more 12,500 young people taking part in 2019. The event aims to allow students to stand in solidarity and learn about vulnerable people around the world through the “Move it, Live it, Sweat it and Stop it” challenges. Each year, the Caritas Challenge has a different focus, which is usually a specific area of the world that is suffering from war, poverty, climate issues, etc. In 2019, for example, the focus was South Sudan, where thousands of people have been displaced due to civil war. This allowed students to understand that the human rights of the people there are not being met and educating them about pressing issues in the world today.
These education initiatives show the principle of human dignity, as they encourage the next generation to recognise the struggle of the vulnerable in our world. By recognising the dignity of each person, we are paving the way for a more just, equal and peaceful society. This concept is rooted firmly in scripture. Matthew 5:48 says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This shows that all people are made in the image of God and in his likeness. Thus, all people have dignity and deserve to be treated with love and respect by others. It also shows us that we must strive to be kind and righteous, despite the difficulties that we may face. As we are made in the image of God, we must try to love others, just as God loves each one of us. Caritas Challenge encourages students to recognise the opportunity they have to uphold the dignity of others. In the Gospel of Luke, we are introduced to The Parable of the Good Samaritan. In this parable, Luke 10:25-37, we learn that we must help strangers and those who are outcast by society. This shows that we are upholding the dignity of each person, despite the differences we may share. Caritas’s education projects, such as Social Justice Week and the Caritas Challenge, are all about having empathy for those that are struggling, despite the differences that we may have.
Catholic tradition clearly shows us that all people have dignity. In the Youcat, which is the Youth version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it states that, “Christians believe that human dignity is, in the first place, the result of God’s respect for us. He looks at every person and loves him as though he were the only creature in the world.” This shows that God knows each person and loves everyone equally. The Caritas Challenge reflects this perfectly, as it is spreading this message in a fun and interactive way. In Pope Francis’s encyclical letter, Laudato Si, he states, “No system can completely suppress our openness to what is good, true and beautiful, or our God-given ability to respond to his grace at work deep in our hearts. I appeal to everyone throughout the world not to forget this dignity which is ours. No one has the right to take it from us.” This shows us that we all have dignity that no other person can take away. Caritas is encouraging youth to recognise their own dignity and worth as well as that of others.
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