The theme for the event is ‘One Human Family, Caring for Creation’ and it brings together over 300 delegates from around the world who will discuss plans for the next 4 years that will entail helping the most vulnerable.
Attending the briefing on Tuesday was the President of Caritas Internationalis, Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga, Michel Roy, the organistion’s Secretary General, Teologian, Fr. Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., and Haridas Varikottil, an expert in Agriculture from Caritas India.
During his intervention to journalists, Michel Roy described the Assembly as a unique moment to “celebrate who we are and what we do.” Mr Roy said that Caritas had prepared a 5 point strategic framework that would be discussed over the course of the meeting. The 5 strategic orientations he spoke of are:
“ To help the Church to be a poor Church for the poor.”
The work of Caritas will continue to respond to major emergencies.
Promoting integral human development.
To strengthen global solidarity.
To strengthen and developed the capacity of the weakest or more vulnerable members of the Caritas Internationalis network.
Over the course of the Assembly there will be a number of guest speakers including Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, who will speak on the subject of climate change.
Michel Roy also explained that there will be a “new governance coming out of this Assembly” A new President of Caritas Internationalis will be elected as Cardinal Maradiaga will have completed the maximum two terms at the helm of the organization.