VATICAN: Caritas Upfront to Support Local Churches In The Fight Against COVID-19
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As the spread of Coronavirus continues globally, Pope Francis has created commission for COVID-19 to show the Church’s care for people who are affected and he has requested Caritas Internationalis to be part of the commission to work in collaboration with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD).
The commission will be headed by the leadership of DPIHD which includes, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Turkson the prefect of the DPIHD, Fr. Bruno-Marie Duffé the Secretary and Fr. Augusto Zampini the new Deputy Secretary.
According to the Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis Mr. Aloysius John, Caritas is part of the commission to help “in order to bring its knowledge and its capacity to work in the area of COVID-19.”
“We are working with the Dicastery in close collaboration in order to see how we could, through Caritas, bring the necessary support in terms of prevention and other kinds of activities in the area of COVID-19 outbreak,” the Secretary General added.
On Thursday, April 16, Caritas Internationalis launched a COVID-19 solidarity fund “which is meant to help the local Caritas offices in bringing support to the people in forms of food security, health and other basic necessities,” Mr. John explained.
The funds will be used to help curb the spread of the pandemic through various activities and with more concern to countries that are highly affected. Key areas of concern will be the health care services in areas such as prevention and control of infections, access to clean water and sanitation, procurement of personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.
The fund will also be used for creating awareness and disseminating information and reinforcing community services, including ensuring food security.
“This is the time to be in solidarity not only in the fight against COVID-19 but also in supporting the work of Caritas in the different local churches in making them realize their mission with the poorest and the most vulnerable,” said Mr. John.
The commission has already begun its mission and Caritas Internationalis together with the DPIHD have started a feedback mechanism for local Churches.
Over 140 Bishops conferences have responded to a survey indicating the most urgent areas of needs and the programs already in place to deal with the spread of the pandemic.
Any help, contributions can be channeled to COVID-19 Response Fund through Caritas Internationalis’s website.
