Caritas in Action

What does the word Caritas mean?

• It means LOVE. • A special kind of love – charitable love for humankind.

• It comes from the Latin language.

• Leads us to Faith In Action.

“Ubi caritas Deus ibi est.”

What do Caritas do?

• Caritas is a charity which helps the most needy without judgement.

• We are the “home” charity of the Diocese of Salford.

• We have over 24 different projects spread across our Diocese.

• We work closely with CAFOD and many other partners and charities.

• We are part of CSAN and Caritas International.

Catholic Social Teaching is at the centre of all our work.

“You shall not oppress the poor or vulnerable. God will hear their cry” Exodus 22: 20-26

Catholic Social Teaching – “The Catholic Church’s Best Kept Secret”

1. Dignity of the Human Person Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

Jeremiah 1:5. “…there are still too many situations in which

human beings are treated as objects whose conception, configuration and utility can be programmed, and who can then be discarded

when no longer useful, due to illness, weakness and old age…”

Address to European Parliament, 25 November 2014.

2. Family & Community And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. I John 4:19

“The life of every family is marked by all kinds of crises, yet these are also part of its dramatic beauty.”

Amoris Laetitia 19 March 2016.

3. Solidarity & the Common Good In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it to me.

Matthew 25:40 You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor person. You are handing over to them what is theirs.

Saint Ambrose.

“Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people…it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good.”

St Pope John Paul II: Sollicitudo Rei Socialis 1987 #38

4. Rights & Responsibilities Faith without works is nothing. James 2:17 “Today the Church is renewing her urgent appeal that the dignity and centrality of every individual always be safeguarded, with respect for fundamental rights, as her social teaching emphasises.

She asks that these rights be extended for millions of men and women on every continent wherever they are not recognised.”

Pope Francis’ address to participants in the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of migrants and itinerant people. 24 May 2013.

5. Option for the Poor & Vulnerable The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me… to let the oppressed go free. Luke 4:18

“A poor Church committed to the poor.”

Who do you see?

How does this picture make you feel?

6. Dignity of Work A small number of very rich men have been able to lay upon the teeming masses of the labouring poor a yoke little better than that of slavery itself.

Rerum Novarum, 1891, #3 “I would like to remind everyone, especially governments…that the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is the human person in his or her integrity: ‘Humankind is the source, the focus and the aim of all economic and social life.’”

Caritas in Veritate #25 quoting Gaudium et Spes, The Church in the Modern World #63.

7. Stewardship

Who turned the wonder world of the seas into underwater cemeteries bereft of colour and life?

Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, 1988.

“Our throwaway culture affects the poor and quickly reduces all things to rubbish…

Make a serious commitment to care for creation, to pay attention to every person, to combat the culture of waste.

With you the world can be different.”

“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” The Fellowship of the Ring.

“Family means nobody gets left behind”. Lilo & Stitch.

“With great power comes great responsibility”. Spiderman.

“All for one and one for all!” The Three Musketeers.

“When they’re finished putting 1st class people in the boat, they’ll be starting with us.” Titanic.

“We are all human, aren’t we? Every human life is worth the same and worth saving.” Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows.

“Because of you the future of this entire universe is in jeopardy!” Toy Story.