50 Years of Caritas celebrated in Auckland

Monday, August 26th, 2019

Last Saturday, Bishop Patrick Dunn celebrated a special Mass for the Auckland Diocese to mark 50 years since New Zealand’s Catholic Bishops established various bodies for overseas aid, justice and peace, and the sending of Catholic lay volunteers overseas.

Today, these strands are all found within Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, the Catholic Agency for Justice
Peace and Development.

The year 2019 marks a ‘Jubilee Year’ for this work Caritas grew out of Catholic concern in the 1950s and 1960s for justice and a fairer distribution of the world’s resources; as well as the Second Vatican Council’s promotion of the Church’s concern for social issues and the role of the laity.

Many have shaped Caritas and its predecessor organisations over the years. In 1975, it joined the international Caritas network of 165 Catholic aid, development and social justice agencies, adopting the Caritas name in
1992.

Caritas is holding a series of Diocesan Masses to acknowledge and honour all those who have shaped and supported the Church’s mission for justice, peace and development, including at Diocesan level. Masses have previously been held this year in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington.

The Mass was held in conjunction with the Auckland Justice & Peace Commission and the Mangere East parish of St Thérèse in Mangere East.

Supplied: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand