TANZANIA: Caritas Tanzania Involves The Poor in Planning and Implementation of Caritas Plans
Participants of the General Meeting of Caritas Tanzania which was held on May 9 this year Tanzania Episcopal Conference TEC Kurasini in Dar es Salaam
Sarah Pelaji
Caritas Tanzania has been asked to evaluate and reflect on how the plans of the Caritas offices involve the poor not as beneficiaries but as those who plan and implement the plans together as recommended by the Synod of Synodality.
This was emphasized by the Bishop Chairman of Caritas Tanzania Most. Rev. Jude Thaddaeus Ruwai’chi OFM Cap when he was opening the General Meeting of Caritas Tanzania which was held on May 9 this year, at Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) Kurasini in Dar es Salaam.
The meeting involved Caritas Directors from all 35 Catholic Dioceses in the country.
Bishop Ruwai’chi who is also a Tanzania Synod Representative and the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam Catholic Archdiocese said that the meeting is being held during the period in which the Church continues with the Synod of Bishops that began in 2021 and will be concluded in October 2024 this year.
“It is clear that in the process of the synod there are some Catholic in our dioceses who are well aware of the Synod of Synodality. So, it is the responsibility of the Church to make people understand and fully participate in the process of the synod.
“We are called as Church to be shining examples of fraternal fraternity, to be ambassadors of love, to be ambassadors of respecting the dignity of every person on the face of the earth.
Caritas is to embrace every person on the face of the earth who is the flesh of Jesus, the crucified Christ. There should be always listening, Synodality involves firstly listening and dialoguing leading us into the Integral development of the whole person, listening to the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the poor,
In embracing everyone we have to be very careful for, due to ethical reasons, we cannot accommodate everyone,” he insisted.
He insisted the reflection from Caritas Internationalis to Caritas at National and Diocesan levels to state how they involve the poor not as beneficiaries but as those who plan and implement the plans together.
On the other hand, Caritas Tanzania and Caritas at Diocese level have been urged to keep sustaining the National Caritas Network in serving the poor and the needy.
It is known that Caritas in history has been carried by international donors and even now some dioceses are supported but that does not remove the concept that the mission of Caritas is the mission of every baptized person so everyone should participate in helping the poor and needy.
The Secretary General of TEC Fr. Charles Kitima appreciated the mission of Caritas Tanzania at national and Diocese level for they are proclaiming the Gospel through acts of generosity and showing the presence of the Catholic Church in the needy and poor.
“We have seen your mission in people in need, especially in the various disasters that have happened in the country, including the landslide of Hangang, Mbeya, floods in Rufiji, etc.
Let’s not lose our nationality in providing services and we have seen the need to have a Caritas Strategic Plan so that there is a procedure of cooperation in practice (principles of solidarity) and each diocese implements the priorities of the strategic plan,” stressed Secretary General TEC Father Kitima.
The issue has also been emphasized by Archbishop Ruwai’chi wanting the issue of a strategic plan to be implemented so that there is a common vision that will make the Caritas offices at all levels walk together.
A Strategic Plan is a document that aims to identify and work on various things/activities/challenges in a collaborative way to achieve the targeted results.
