The Vatican is to take direct control of the Catholic charity Caritas Internationalis, to ensure its “distinctive identity”.
Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone said the charity network would come under the direct control of his secretariat and the “Cor Unum” Council which is in charge of the Roman Catholic Church’s charity work.
An “ecclesiastical assistant” and a “support commission” would be put in place, while three members of the executive board would be appointed directly by the pope.
The position of treasurer will also require the Vatican stamp of approval.
Caritas Internationalis helps 24 million people around the world at any one time and employs a total of one million people, including 600,000 volunteers
In May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI said that Caritas should defend the Church’s “non-negotiable values” and put this message on the international agenda.
The Church has called for Caritas to speak out on sensitive issues including abortion, contraception and euthanasia and insists that the organisation should not be considered a non-governmental group like any other.
Some within Caritas believe that concrete action on the ground should take priority over an evangelisation agenda.
The former head of Caritas, Lesley-Anne Knight, was persuaded by the Vatican not to run for office again. The new secretary general, France’s Michel Roy, hailed the Vatican reform saying it would allow “greater two-way interaction” between the Vatican and Caritas, bolstering the organisation’s research and appeals.
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