Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - Cardinal Oscar Andrès Rodriguez Maradiaga, aged 64, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, is the new president of Caritas Internationalis. He was elected to succeed 61 year old lay man Francois Denis Vienot at a Caritas general assembly being held in the Vatican until 9 June. Some 400 delegates have gathered to reflect on the theme 'Witnesses of Charity, Builders of Peace' and identify challenges facing Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Caritas organisations in more than 200 different countries all over the world.
Tomorrow 7 June the 25 members Caritas Internationalis executive committee will elect a new secretary general to take the place of Duncan McLaren.
Yesterday Caritas launched an appeal supporting the plea 'Make Aid Work, the World cannot be kept waiting!' addressed to the 'great powers of the planet', meeting in Germany for the G8 summit. Caritas said donations and aid from rich countries to poor countries continue to dwindle and “broken promises mean broken lives for the poor ”, because humanitarian aid is often the only life line for whole peoples victims of displacement, natural disasters and conflicts.
The Caritas assembly launched a special appeal for the situation of Christians in the Middle East and serious difficulties also at the humanitarian level in the Holy Land and Iraq. Claudette Habesh, Caritas Middle East delegate said: “The Christian community in the Holy Land is an integral part of the people of this land, the people of Palestine and the people of Israel. Both share the same suffering. We offer aid without distinction to all in need. We are involved in healthcare, preventive medicine, school education”. Caritas promotes micro-credit projects to encourage social development and also supports programmes to overcome drug dependence. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 6/6/2007 righe 27 parole 274)
