Caritas Internationalis is confederation of 165 Catholic humanitarian and development national member organisations who are working at the grassroots in almost every country of the world. When a crisis hits, Caritas is already on the ground. The diverse members give us our strength – from small groups of volunteers to some of the biggest global charities. Inspired by Catholic faith, Caritas is the helping hand of the Church – reaching out to the poor, vulnerable and excluded, regardless of race, religion or sex, to build a world based on justice and fraternal love.

The General Secretariat of the Caritas confederation is based in the Vatican City. It coordinates emergency response, policy and advocacy, communications, international representation and capacity building. The General Secretariat also has
international delegations at the United Nations in New York and in Geneva. Caritas members serves in more than 201 Countries and Territories. National Caritas member organisations are each autonomous under their bishops, but they combine as part of the Caritas Internationalis confederation, which is a body of the Universal
Church. They commit to good governance, transparency and accountability as members of Caritas Internationalis

From the founding of the first Caritas in Germany in 1897, to the setting up of Caritas Internationalis in 1951, until today, Caritas has a rich history of listening respectfully to the suffering of the poor and giving them the tools to transform their own lives. The deep moral and spiritual principles of dignity, justice, solidarity and stewardship still guide Caritas today.

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