“Only my service of neighbor can open my eyes to what God does for me and how much He loves me” (cf. Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, no. 18).
When hearing the word Caritas, what do you, brothers and sisters, think of? Caritas is a Latin word meaning charity, a broad and encompassing love. Caritas is an organization within the Catholic Church tasked with coordinating and promoting the practice of social charity. Charity (caritas) is an essential part that constitutes the very nature and mission of the Church.
Saint John says: “God is Love”; he introduces us to the vast path of love so that we can bring God to everyone. However, some people misunderstand Caritas, thinking that to do charitable work, one must have money, medicine, material wealth, a stable life, skills, techniques, and so on... Meanwhile, the fundamental point is to express God's love to everyone through every gaze, word, smile, and attitude of respect and love, which people so desperately need in today's era.
For the Church's deepest nature is expressed in a three-fold responsibility: proclaiming the Word of God, celebrating the Sacraments, and exercising the ministry of charity. These duties presuppose each other and are inseparable. Pope Francis clarified further: “Charity is an essential part of the Church. Without charity, there is no Church. Charity expresses the love of the Church, and the Church expresses herself through charity.” Within the Church, all members share the responsibility of practicing charity, but Caritas is the organization entrusted by the Church to represent her in this field.
Caritas Spirituality aims to help Christians manifest the immense love of God through practical acts of assistance and sharing, becoming living witnesses of the Gospel through an integrally human life. From there, they collaborate with everyone to build a civilization of love for their own nation as well as for the entire human family (cf. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 580-583).
Charity is the nature of the Church and the responsibility of every Christian, not the privilege of anyone. The role of Caritas is to invite more members within the Church and society to participate in soothing the pain of our brothers and sisters. Therefore, Caritas Dalat desires to consolidate and develop the Caritas network in parishes and deaneries within the diocesan family through various activities: helping the lonely elderly, the sick, those in difficult circumstances, etc.; active initiatives (recyclable waste collection, educational scholarship funds, environmental days, etc.); organizing training sessions (environmental protection, fundraising methods, etc.); introducing Caritas Spirituality; living Laudato Si'; celebrating the "Season of Creation"; holding Holy Mass for the feast day of Caritas; and organizing annual Caritas meetings, etc.
May the words of Jesus to the scholar of the law, “Go and do likewise,” in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37), be heard and practiced by many in their daily lives.
(Sources of citation: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Caritas Spirituality, The Mission of Caritas in the Church by Fr. Joseph Ngo Si Dinh, OP, Director of Caritas Vietnam)
