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175-499: Collectively and individually, their missions are "to serve the poor and to promote charity and justice throughout the world". Caritas Internationalis is the second-largest international humanitarian aid network in the world after the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement . In 1891, Pope Leo XIII 's encyclical Rerum novarum was published, addressing the condition of the working classes. Rerum Novarum

350-605: A Referendary Prelate of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura . On 16 December 1937, after his mentor Giuseppe Pizzardo was named a cardinal and was succeeded by Domenico Tardini , Montini was named Substitute for Ordinary Affairs under Cardinal Pacelli, the Secretary of State. His immediate supervisor was Domenico Tardini , with whom he got along well. He was further appointed Consultor of

525-642: A budget of US$ 176,000,000. When the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, Caritas Syria , Caritas Lebanon , and Caritas Jordan were the three Caritas agencies providing the largest response in support of the internally-displaced persons and the refugees. Two years later, Caritas Internationalis member organisations responded to the Western African Ebola virus epidemic in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and when Typhoon Haiyan devastated large parts of

700-641: A captain of the Dutch Army , became the first independent and neutral delegates to work under the symbol of the Red Cross in an armed conflict. The Ottoman government ratified this treaty on 5 July 1865. The Turkish Red Crescent organization was founded in the Ottoman Empire in 1868, partly in response to the experience of the Crimean War (1853–1856), in which disease overshadowed battle as

875-537: A career in the Roman Curia , the papal civil service. On 19 October 1925, he was appointed a papal chamberlain in the rank of Supernumerary Privy Chamberlain of His Holiness. In 1931, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli appointed him to teach history at the Pontifical Academy for Diplomats; he was promoted to Domestic Prelate of His Holiness on 8 July of the same year. On 24 September 1936, he was appointed

1050-537: A chief of staff, he met the Pope every morning until 1954 and developed a rather close relationship with him. Of his service to two popes he wrote: It is true, my service to the Pope was not limited to the political or extraordinary affairs according to Vatican language. The goodness of Pope Pius XII opened to me the opportunity to look into the thoughts, even into the soul of this great pontiff. I could quote many details how Pius XII, always using measured and moderate speech,

1225-1173: A decentralised secretriat), Caritas Oceania (with a decentralised secretariat), and Caritas Latin America and Caribbean ( San José, Costa Rica ). Some member organisations of Caritas Internationalis focus solely on domestic social welfare, such as Caritas Moldova or Caritas Singapore, while others, particularly in the Western world , operate internationally, like Cordaid from the Netherlands or Trócaire from Ireland, which specialize in international development and humanitarian aid. Caritas Spain , Caritas Poland , and Caritas Luxembourg engage in both domestic and international activities. Caritas Australia primarily operates as an international humanitarian and development actor abroad but also supports Indigenous Australians locally, while Caritas Japan focuses mainly on domestic operations while financially assisting relief efforts of other confederation members globally. The size of Caritas organisations varies widely from small volunteer-run entities to some of

1400-609: A dedicated service for this purpose was established in the general secretariat in Rome. In 1962, the Chilean Cardinal Raúl Silva Henríquez was elected as president of Caritas Internationalis. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) opened up the Church to the modern world. It emphasized the value of the work done by laypeople , called for dialogue with other religions, and urged Christians to promote

1575-489: A dialogue with the modern world in Milan and asked them to seek contact with people from all walks of life. Six days after his election, he announced that he would continue Vatican II and convened the opening on 29 September 1963. In a radio address to the world, Paul VI praised his predecessors, the strength of Pius XI , the wisdom and intelligence of Pius XII , and the love of John XXIII . As his pontifical goals, he mentioned

1750-803: A doctorate in canon law in the same year. He later studied at the Gregorian University , the University of Rome La Sapienza and, at the request of Giuseppe Pizzardo , the Pontifical Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles . In 1922, at the age of twenty-five, again at the request of Giuseppe Pizzardo, Montini entered the Secretariat of State , where he worked under Pizzardo together with Francesco Borgongini-Duca , Alfredo Ottaviani , Carlo Grano , Domenico Tardini and Francis Spellman . Consequently, he never had an appointment as

1925-529: A documentary entitled A Visitor from the Living . On 12 March 1945, ICRC president Jacob Burckhardt received a message from SS General Ernst Kaltenbrunner allowing ICRC delegates to visit the concentration camps. This agreement was bound by the condition that these delegates would have to stay in the camps until the end of the war. Ten delegates, among them Louis Haefliger ( Mauthausen-Gusen ), Paul Dunant ( Theresienstadt ), and Victor Maurer ( Dachau ) accepted

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2100-570: A draft proposal for an additional convention for the protection of the civil population in occupied territories during an armed conflict was adopted by the International Red Cross Conference. Unfortunately, most governments had little interest in implementing this convention, and it was thus prevented from entering into force before the beginning of World War II . The Red Cross' response to the Holocaust has been

2275-643: A field surgeon; Appia's friend and colleague Théodore Maunoir , from the Geneva Hygiene and Health Commission; and Guillaume-Henri Dufour , a Swiss army general of great renown. Eight days later, the five men decided to rename the committee to the "International Committee for Relief to the Wounded". From 26 to 29 October 1863, the international conference organized by the committee was held in Geneva to develop possible measures to improve medical services on

2450-624: A hornets nest he is stirring up." Montini was appointed to the Central Preparatory Commission in 1961. During the council, Pope John XXIII asked him to live in the Vatican, where he was a Commission for Extraordinary Affairs member, though he did not engage much in the floor debates. His main advisor was Giovanni Colombo , whom he later appointed as his successor in Milan The commission was significantly overshadowed by

2625-502: A liberal when he asked lay people to love not only Catholics but also schismatics, Protestants, Anglicans, the indifferent, Muslims, pagans, and atheists. He gave a friendly welcome to a group of Anglican clergy visiting Milan in 1957 and subsequently exchanged letters with the Archbishop of Canterbury , Geoffrey Fisher . Pope Pius XII revealed at the 1952 secret consistory that both Montini and Tardini had declined appointments to

2800-765: A mark in the history of the committee as its longest-serving president ever. In 1906, the 1864 Geneva Convention was revised for the first time. One year later, the Hague Convention X , adopted at the Second International Peace Conference in The Hague , extended the scope of the Geneva Convention to naval warfare. Shortly before the beginning of the First World War in 1914, 50 years after the foundation of

2975-665: A neutral, independent and exclusively humanitarian mandate during such escalations of violence in the Middle East and urged all parties to protect the lives of civilians, to reduce their suffering and protect their dignity. During the violent conflict, the ICRC and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) provided hospitals in the Gaza strip with support through large humanitarian convoys from Egypt , and

3150-582: A parish priest. In 1925 he helped found the publishing house Morcelliana in Brescia, focused on promoting a 'Christian-inspired culture'. Montini had just one foreign posting in the diplomatic service of the Holy See as Secretary in the office of the papal nuncio to Poland in 1923. Of the nationalism he experienced there he wrote: "This form of nationalism treats foreigners as enemies, especially foreigners with whom one has common frontiers. Then one seeks

3325-412: A plethora of charitable activities occurring, yet without effective cooperation and coordination. As a result, most participants advocated for the establishment of a secretariat for charitable activities within each diocese . This centralised management would aim to consolidate various charitable efforts within a diocese, allowing for national and international collaboration. This network of organisations

3500-512: A possible rivalry between the two organizations. The foundation of the League was seen as an attempt to undermine the leadership position of the ICRC within the movement and to gradually transfer most of its tasks and competencies to a multilateral institution. In addition to that, all founding members of the League were national societies from countries of the Entente or from associated partners of

3675-501: A regulation, a process initiated by Pius XII and continued by John XXIII. On 28 March, with Pontificalis Domus , and in several additional Apostolic Constitutions in the following years, he revamped the entire Curia, which included reduction of bureaucracy, streamlining of existing congregations, and a broader representation of non-Italians in the Curial positions. On 6 August 1966, Paul VI asked all bishops to submit their resignations to

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3850-517: A secluded Benedictine monastery in Switzerland. Montini was generally seen as the most likely papal successor , being close to both Popes Pius XII and John XXIII, as well as his pastoral and administrative background, his insight, and his determination. John XXIII had previously known the Vatican as an official until his appointment to Venice was a papal diplomat, but returning to Rome at age 66, he may at times have felt uncertain in dealing with

4025-458: A speedy resolution on religious freedom, but Paul VI insisted this be approved together with related texts on topics such as ecumenism . The Pope concluded the session on 21 November 1964 with the formal pronouncement of Mary as Mother of the Church . Between the third and fourth sessions, the Pope announced reforms in the areas of Roman Curia , revision of Canon law , regulations for interfaith marriages , and birth control issues. He opened

4200-684: A standstill. A few national Caritas organisations were set up during or right after the war to provide and coordinate aid for the populations most in need, including the American Catholic Relief Services (1943), the French Secours catholique (1946) and Caritas Japan (1946). The work of Caritas Catholica resumed in 1947, with the approval of the Secretariat of State . Two conferences were convened in Lucerne to help coordinate efforts and collaboration. Caritas

4375-522: Is a global confederation composed of national Caritas organisations from each country. As of 2024, the confederation has 162 members working in over 200 countries and territories. It is coordinated by a general secretariat located in the Palazzo San Callisto in Rome . The members are local faith-based organisation , usually established by the episcopal conferences in each country, fulfilling

4550-403: Is believed to be incurable or is of long duration and which impedes us from sufficiently exercising the functions of our apostolic ministry; or in the case of another serious and prolonged impediment", he would renounce his office "both as bishop of Rome as well as head of the same holy Catholic Church". Paul VI did away with much of the papacy's regal splendor. His coronation on 30 June 1963

4725-539: Is considered a foundational text of modern Catholic social teaching and provides the ideological background for the work of Caritas. In this context, the first Caritas organisations began to be established, with Caritas Germany being the very first, founded by Lorenz Werthmann in 1897 in Freiburg . In the following years, national Caritas organisations were set up in other countries, including Caritas Switzerland (1901), Caritas Austria (1903), Catholic Charities in

4900-483: Is not part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a humanitarian movement with approximately 16   million volunteers , members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering . Until

5075-455: The 2023 Israel–Hamas war Israeli authorities required Palestinian ambulances to undergo thorough searches when passing through checkpoints, saying the policy was driven by Palestinian organizations using ambulances to transport terrorists and armaments. The Israeli Ministry of Health said that: "The Red Crescent closely cooperated with the MDA ( Magen David Adom ) until April 2002. At that time,

5250-490: The American Red Cross was founded through the efforts of Clara Barton . More and more countries signed the Geneva Convention and began to respect it in practice during armed conflicts. In a rather short period of time, the Red Cross gained huge momentum as an internationally respected movement, and the national societies became increasingly popular as a venue for volunteer work. When the first Nobel Peace Prize

5425-533: The Catholic Action , and member of the Italian Parliament. His mother, Giudetta Alghisi (1874–1943), was from a family of rural nobility. He had two brothers, Francesco Montini (1900–1971), who became a physician, and Lodovico Montini (1896–1990), who became a lawyer and politician. On 30 September 1897, he was baptised with the name Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini. He attended

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5600-572: The College of Cardinals in 1958, and after his death, Montini was, with little opposition, elected his successor, taking the name Paul VI. He re-convened the Second Vatican Council, which had been suspended during the interregnum. After its conclusion, Paul VI took charge of the interpretation and implementation of its mandates, finely balancing the conflicting expectations of various Catholic groups. The resulting reforms were among

5775-523: The Democratic Republic of Congo for decades. Nonetheless, Caritas also continued its work as social service provider and development actor around the world. For example Caritas Hong Kong , greatly expanded its educational and healthcare services. In Iraq, Caritas Iraq assisted more than 250,000 persons with food programmes alone and between 1995 and 2000. Caritas Austria expanded its support to children, people with disabilities, refugees,

5950-581: The Geneva Conventions of the 1907 revision and forwarded complaints about violations to the respective country. When chemical weapons were used in this war for the first time in history, the ICRC mounted a vigorous protest against their use. Even without having a mandate from the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC tried to ameliorate the suffering of civil populations. In territories that were officially designated as "occupied territories",

6125-510: The International Committee of the Red Cross adopted a change in its policy regarding the selection of new members. Until then, only citizens from the city of Geneva could serve in the committee. This limitation was expanded to include all Swiss citizens. As a direct consequence of World War I, a treaty was adopted in 1925 which outlawed the use of suffocating or poisonous gases and biological agents as weapons. Four years later,

6300-745: The International Year of Human Rights (1968), the General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis adopted a "Declaration on the Rights of Developing Nations". It supported the fundamental principled of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights . This marked the beginning of Caritas Internationalis adopting a more outward-facing advocacy approach, involving closer cooperation and engagement on

6475-689: The Oriental Republic of Uruguay , the United States of Venezuela ), Asia (the Republic of China , the Empire of Japan and the Kingdom of Siam ), and Africa ( Union of South Africa ). With the outbreak of World War I , the ICRC found itself confronted with enormous challenges that it could handle only by working closely with the national Red Cross societies. Red Cross nurses from around

6650-578: The Pontificia Commissione di Assistenza ( Pontifical Commission for Assistance ), which supplied a large number of Romans and refugees from everywhere with shelter, food and other necessities. In Rome alone it distributed almost two million portions of free food in 1944. The Papal Residence of Castel Gandolfo was opened to refugees, as was Vatican City in so far as space allowed. Some 15,000 lived in Castel Gandolfo, supported by

6825-819: The Porto Alegre summit in 2003. On 16 September 2004, Pope John Paul II granted public, juridical, and canonical personality to Caritas Internationalis, recognizing its formal status within the Church and its ability to operate with a greater degree of autonomy and authority. He also entrusted the task of "supervising and guiding the activity of Caritas Internationalis" to the Pontifical Council Cor Unum . Caritas Internationalis launched its " HAART for Children" advocacy campaign in 2009, calling on governments and pharmaceutical companies to develop and provide child-friendly HIV and tuberculosis medicine. In November 2012, Pope Benedict XVI published

7000-549: The Russian Red Cross Society and later the society of the Soviet Union , constantly emphasizing the ICRC's neutrality. In 1928, the "International Council" was founded to coordinate cooperation between the ICRC and the League, a task which was later taken over by the "Standing Commission". In the same year, a common statute for the movement was adopted for the first time, defining the respective roles of

7175-656: The Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office and of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation on 24 December, and was promoted to Protonotary apostolic ( ad instar participantium ), the most senior class of papal prelate, on 10 May 1938. Pacelli became Pope Pius XII in 1939 and confirmed Montini's appointment as Substitute under the new Cardinal Secretary of State Luigi Maglione . In that role, roughly that of

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7350-615: The Synod of Bishops as a permanent institution of the Catholic Church and an advisory body to the papacy. Several meetings were held on specific issues during his pontificate, such as the Synod of Bishops on evangelization in the modern world, which started on 9 September 1974. Pope Paul VI knew the Roman Curia well, having worked there for a generation from 1922 to 1954. He implemented his reforms in stages. On 1 March 1968, he issued

7525-642: The UN General Assembly granted the ICRC observer status for its assembly sessions and sub-committee meetings, the first observer status given to a private organization. The resolution was jointly proposed by 138 member states and introduced by the Italian ambassador, in memory of the organization's origins in the Battle of Solferino. An agreement with the Swiss government signed on 19 March 1993 affirmed

7700-732: The United States , the Empire of Brazil and the Mexican Empire to attend an official diplomatic conference. Sixteen countries sent a total of 26 delegates to Geneva. On 22 August 1864, the conference adopted the first Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field". Representatives of 12 states and kingdoms signed the convention: The convention contained ten articles, establishing for

7875-756: The United States . The first elected officials of the organisation were the Italian Bishop Ferdinando Baldelli , who served as President of Caritas Internationalis until 1962, and the German Carlo Bayer , who remained the Secretary General until 1970. In 1957, the International Conference of Catholic Charities changed its name to Caritas Internationalis to reflect the international presence of Caritas members on every continent. Throughout

8050-403: The motu proprio Intima Ecclesiae natura , which focuses on the principles and guidelines for the charitable activities of the Catholic Church, which explicitly asks of the bishops to "encourage in every parish of his territory the creation of a local Caritas service or a similar body". In May 2019, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development became the new Vatican body overseeing

8225-463: The mystical body of Christ . He asked them not to repeat or create new dogmatic definitions but to simply explain how the Church sees itself. He thanked the representatives of other Christian communities for their attendance and asked for their forgiveness if the Catholic Church was at fault for their separation. He also reminded the Council Fathers that many bishops from the East had been forbidden to attend by their national governments. Paul VI opened

8400-421: The 1923 earthquake in Japan which killed about 200,000 people and left countless more wounded and without shelter. Due to the League's coordination, the Red Cross society of Japan received goods from its sister societies reaching a total worth of about $ 100 million. Another important new field initiated by the League was the creation of youth Red Cross organizations within the national societies. A joint mission of

8575-403: The 1960s, including reconstruction after the 1962 Buin Zahra earthquake and the 1963 Skopje earthquake , as well as hunger and relief campaign after repeated famines in India and Pakistan. Caritas was a major humanitarian actor during the Biafran War (1967-1970) and Caritas Jerusalem was founded to coordinate the Catholic relief efforts after the 1967 Arab–Israeli War . In 1969, following

8750-410: The 27th International Eucharistic Congress in Amsterdam , an international conference on charity was held. This conference saw the participation of delegates from Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, and Switzerland. The primary objective of the conference was to discuss Catholic charitable activities in various countries. These discussions revealed

8925-440: The Agency accumulated about 7 million records from 1914 to 1923. The card index led to the identification of about 2 million POWs and the ability to contact their families. The complete index is on loan today from the ICRC to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. The right to access the index is still strictly restricted to the ICRC. During the entire war, the ICRC monitored warring parties' compliance with

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9100-470: The Caritas confederation responded, including the Bosnian War (1991-1995), the famine in Somalia (1992, the Rwandan Genocide (1994) and the subsequent Great Lakes refugee crisis (1994-1996) and First Congo War (1996-1997), as well as the Kosovo War (1998-1999) When the War in Darfur began in 2003, the British Caritas member CAFOD took the lead in coordinating the confederation's cooperation with Action by Churches Together . This joint initiative

9275-434: The Caritas secretariat in Rome. An organisational consultant was appointed as a temporary administrator until elections were held for a new secretary-general in May 2023. These elections resulted in Alistair Dutton, previously the executive director of SCIAF (Caritas Scotland), winning the position of Secretary-General, and Archbishop of Tokyo Msgr. Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi being elected as President. Caritas Internationalis

9450-445: The Central African Republic who were allegedly abused by the priest. Following this report, the UN temporarily suspended its work with Caritas Central African Republic. Caritas Internationalis issues an apology, stating that it was "saddened and outraged" by the allegations of abuse and said it was working to improve its safeguarding policies towards children. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Caritas in Ukraine and

9625-425: The Cesare Arici school, run by the Jesuits , and in 1916 received a diploma from the Arnaldo da Brescia public school in Brescia . His education was often interrupted by bouts of illness. In 1916, he entered the seminary to become a Catholic priest. He was ordained on 29 May 1920 in Brescia and celebrated his first Mass at the Santa Maria delle Grazie, Brescia . Montini concluded his studies in Milan with

9800-453: The Confederation also took its first steps in advocacy . The economic prosperity that many Western countries experienced highlighted that other parts of the world were still facing hunger and misery. In 1959, at the initiative of Cardinal Joseph Frings , the German bishops decided to launch a joint Lenten campaign to alleviate, hunger, poverty and disease in what was back then called the " Third World ". The idea of Lenten campaigns and using

9975-450: The Council language was friendly and open to the sensitivities of Protestant and Orthodox churches, whom he had invited to all sessions at the request of Pope John XXIII . Bea also was strongly involved in the passage of Nostra aetate , which regulates the Church's relations with Judaism and members of other religions. After being elected Bishop of Rome, Paul VI first met with the priests in his new diocese. He told them that he started

10150-454: The Entente. The original statutes of the League from May 1919 contained further regulations which gave the five founding societies a privileged status and, due to the efforts of Henry Davison, the right to permanently exclude the national Red Cross societies from the countries of the Central Powers , namely Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey, and in addition to that the national Red Cross society of Russia. These rules were contrary to

10325-449: The ICRC achieved permission to send parcels to concentration camp detainees with known names and locations. Because the notices of receipt for these parcels were often signed by other inmates, the ICRC managed to register the identities of about 105,000 detainees in the concentration camps and delivered about 1.1 million parcels, primarily to the concentration camps Dachau , Buchenwald , Ravensbrück , and Sachsenhausen . Maurice Rossel

10500-430: The ICRC and the League in the Russian Civil War from 1917 to 1922 marked the first time the movement was involved in an internal conflict, although still without an explicit mandate from the Geneva Conventions. The League, with support from more than 25 national societies, organized assistance missions and the distribution of food and other aid goods for civil populations affected by hunger and disease. The ICRC worked with

10675-430: The ICRC and the League within the movement. During the Abyssinian war between Ethiopia and Italy from 1935 to 1936, the League contributed aid supplies worth about 1.7 million Swiss francs. Because the Italian fascist regime under Benito Mussolini refused any cooperation with the Red Cross, these goods were delivered solely to Ethiopia. During the war, an estimated 29 people died while being under explicit protection of

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10850-408: The ICRC and the adoption of the first Geneva Convention, there were already 45 national relief societies throughout the world. The movement had extended itself beyond Europe and North America to Central and South America ( Argentine Republic , the United States of Brazil , the Republic of Chile , the Republic of Cuba , the United Mexican States , the Republic of Peru , the Republic of El Salvador ,

11025-420: The ICRC could assist the civilian population on the basis of the Hague Convention 's "Laws and Customs of War on Land" of 1907. This convention was also the legal basis for the ICRC's work for prisoners of war. In addition to the work of the International Prisoner-of-War Agency as described above, this included inspection visits to POW camps. A total of 524 camps throughout Europe were visited by 41 delegates from

11200-435: The ICRC decided to remain in the country to continue its mission to assist and protect victims of conflict. Since June 2021, ICRC-supported facilities have treated more than 40,000 people wounded during armed confrontations there. Among the ten largest ICRC deployments worldwide has been the mission in Ukraine , where the organization has been active since 2014, working closely with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society . At first,

11375-418: The ICRC through the end of the war. Between 1916 and 1918, the ICRC published a number of postcards with scenes from the POW camps. The pictures showed the prisoners in day-to-day activities such as the distribution of letters from home. The intention of the ICRC was to provide the families of the prisoners with some hope and solace and to alleviate their uncertainties about the fate of their loved ones. After

11550-471: The ICRC was active primarily in the disputed regions of Donbas and Donetsk , assisting persons injured by armed confrontations there. When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022 , the fighting moved to more populated areas in East, North, and South Ukraine. The head of the ICRC delegation in Kyiv warned on 26 February 2022 that neighborhoods of major cities were becoming the frontline with significant consequences for their populations, including children,

11725-457: The IDF claimed that Red Crescent ambulances were being used to carry terrorists. The Red Crescent personnel involved in this violation were interrogated." In October 2023, the ICRC responded to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians. The ICRC has called the violence "abhorrent" and implored both sides to reduce the suffering of civilians. The ICRC, working closely with their Red Crescent partners, has

11900-412: The Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. In 1968, with the motu proprio Pontificalis Domus , he discontinued most of the ceremonial functions of the old Papal nobility at the court (reorganized as the household ), save for the Prince Assistants to the Papal Throne . He also abolished the Palatine Guard and the Noble Guard , leaving the Pontifical Swiss Guard as the sole military order of

12075-415: The International Committee. The controversy surrounding Dunant's business dealings and the resulting negative public opinion, combined with an ongoing conflict with Gustave Moynier, led to Dunant's expulsion from his position as a member and secretary. He was charged with fraudulent bankruptcy and a warrant for his arrest was issued. Thus, he was forced to leave Geneva and never returned to his home city. In

12250-420: The League of Nations "High Commissioner for Refugees". Nansen, who invented the Nansen passport for stateless refugees and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922, appointed two delegates from the ICRC as his deputies. A year before the end of the war, the ICRC received the 1917 Nobel Peace Prize for its outstanding wartime work. It was the only Nobel Peace Prize awarded in the period from 1914 to 1918. In 1923,

12425-403: The Netherlands , Kingdom of Prussia , Russian Empire , Kingdom of Saxony , Kingdom of Spain , United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway , and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Among the proposals written in the final resolutions of the conference, adopted on 29 October 1863, were: Only a year later, the Swiss government invited the governments of all European countries, as well as

12600-517: The Pontificia Commissione di Assistenza. Montini was also involved in the re-establishment of Church Asylum, extending protection to hundreds of Allied soldiers escaped from prison camps, to Jews, anti-Fascists, Socialists, Communists, and after the liberation of Rome, to German soldiers, partisans, displaced persons and others. As pope in 1971, Montini turned the Pontificia Commissione di Assistenza into Caritas Italiana . After

12775-684: The Pope to fill several positions with younger prelates and reduce the Italian domination of the Roman Curia. His 1970 measures also revolutionised papal elections by restricting the right to vote in papal conclaves to cardinals who had not yet reached their 80th birthday, a class known since then as "cardinal electors". This reduced the power of the Italians and the Curia in the next conclave. Some senior cardinals objected to losing their voting privilege without effect. Paul VI's measures also limited

12950-489: The Red Cross principles of universality and equality among all national societies, a situation which furthered the concerns of the ICRC. The first relief assistance mission organized by the League was an aid mission for the victims of a famine and subsequent typhus epidemic in Poland. Only five years after its foundation, the League had already issued 47 donation appeals for missions in 34 countries, an impressive indication of

13125-818: The Red Cross symbol, most of them due to attacks by the Italian Army. During the civil war in Spain from 1936 to 1939 the League once again joined forces with the ICRC with the support of 41 national societies. In 1939 on the brink of the Second World War, the League relocated its headquarters from Paris to Geneva to take advantage of Swiss neutrality. Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( Latin : Paulus VI ; Italian : Paolo VI ; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , Italian: [dʒoˈvanni batˈtista enˈriːko anˈtɔːnjo maˈriːa monˈtiːni] ; 26 September 1897 – 6 August 1978)

13300-3895: The State is absent and provides 41% of all education services. Many Caritas organisations engaged in international cooperation and humanitarian relief outside their home countries operate as partnership organisations, practising localisation . This approach entails supporting local partners, typically local Caritas organisations, in implementing programs. Examples include Caritas Portugal , Development and Peace (Caritas Canada), and Caritas Denmark . Others, such as CRS, Caritas Czech Republic , and Caritas Switzerland , establish offices in third countries to directly manage humanitarian and development projects. The full membership list of Caritas organisations includes: The successive presidents of Caritas Internationalis have been: The incomplete list of secretaries-general of Caritas Internationalis includes: [REDACTED]  Caritas Angola [REDACTED]  Caritas Benin [REDACTED]  Caritas Botswana [REDACTED]   Caritas Burkina Faso (OCADES) [REDACTED]  Caritas Burundi [REDACTED]  Caritas Cameroon [REDACTED]  Caritas Cape Verde [REDACTED]  Caritas Central African Republic [REDACTED]  Caritas Chad [REDACTED]  Caritas Comoros [REDACTED]  Caritas Congo-Brazzaville [REDACTED]   Caritas Congo [REDACTED]  Caritas Côte d'Ivoire [REDACTED]  Caritas Equatorial Guinea [REDACTED]  Caritas Eritrea [REDACTED]  Caritas Eswatini [REDACTED]  Caritas Ethiopia (ECC- SDCO) [REDACTED]  Caritas Gabon [REDACTED]  Caritas Gambia (CaDO) [REDACTED]  Caritas Ghana [REDACTED]  Caritas Guinea (OCPH) [REDACTED]  Caritas Guinea-Bissau [REDACTED]  Caritas Kenya [REDACTED]  Caritas Lesotho [REDACTED]  Caritas Liberia [REDACTED]   Caritas Madagascar [REDACTED]  Caritas Malawi (CADECOM) [REDACTED]  Caritas Mali [REDACTED]  Caritas Mauritius [REDACTED]  Caritas Mozambique [REDACTED]  Caritas Namibia [REDACTED]  Caritas Niger (CADEV) [REDACTED]  Caritas Nigeria [REDACTED]  Caritas Rwanda [REDACTED]  Caritas São Tomé and Príncipe [REDACTED]  Caritas Senegal [REDACTED]  Caritas Seychelles [REDACTED]  Caritas Sierra Leone [REDACTED]  Caritas South Africa (Siyabhabha Trust) [REDACTED]  Caritas South Sudan [REDACTED]  Caritas Sudan [REDACTED]  Caritas Tanzania [REDACTED]   Caritas Togo (OCDI) [REDACTED]   Caritas Uganda [REDACTED]  Caritas Zambia [REDACTED]  Caritas Zimbabwe (CADEC) [REDACTED]   Caritas Bangladesh [REDACTED]  Caritas Cambodia [REDACTED]   Caritas Hong Kong [REDACTED]  Caritas India [REDACTED]   Caritas Indonesia [REDACTED]   Caritas Japan [REDACTED]  Caritas Kazakhstan [REDACTED]  Caritas Kyrgyzstan [REDACTED]  Caritas Laos [REDACTED]  Caritas Korea [REDACTED]   Caritas Macau [REDACTED]  Caritas Malaysia [REDACTED]  Caritas Mongolia [REDACTED]  Caritas Myanmar (KMSS) [REDACTED]      Caritas Nepal [REDACTED]   Caritas Pakistan [REDACTED]   Caritas Philippines (NASSA) [REDACTED]  Caritas Singapore and CHARIS International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Green: The Red Crescent Blue: The Red Star of David (The Red Crystal outside of Israel) Maroon: Red Cross Society that

13475-718: The United States (1910) and Caritas Czechoslovakia (1922). The first Caritas at the diocesan level was set up in Strasbourg , which is now part of France but was then part of the German Empire , in 1903. In 1916, in the context of World War 1 , Caritas was recognised as the single official umbrella organisation for the German Catholic church's relief operations. By 1922, all German dioceses had established their own Caritas association. In July 1924, during

13650-629: The Vatican. Paul VI decided to reconvene Vatican II and completed it in 1965. Faced with conflicting interpretations and controversies, he directed the implementation of its reform goals. During Vatican II, the council fathers avoided statements that might anger non-Catholic Christians. Cardinal Augustin Bea , the President of the Christian Unity Secretariat , always had the full support of Paul VI in his attempts to ensure that

13825-494: The additional protocols of 8 June 1977 were intended to make the conventions apply to internal conflicts such as civil wars. Today, the four conventions and their added protocols contain more than 600 articles, while there were only 10 articles in the first 1864 convention. In celebration of its centennial in 1963, the ICRC, together with the League of Red Cross Societies , received its third Nobel Peace Prize. On 16 October 1990,

14000-445: The already long-standing policy of full independence of the committee from any interference by Switzerland. The agreement protects the full sanctity of all ICRC property in Switzerland including its headquarters and archive, grants members and staff legal immunity, exempts the ICRC from all taxes and fees, guarantees the protected and duty-free transfer of goods, services, and money, provides the ICRC with secure communication privileges at

14175-656: The armed opposition. They regularly visit detainees under the custody of the Afghan government and the international armed forces, but have also occasionally had access since 2009 to people detained by the Taliban . They have provided basic first aid training and aid kits to both the Afghan security forces and Taliban members because, according to an ICRC spokesperson, "ICRC's constitution stipulates that all parties harmed by warfare will be treated as fairly as possible". In August 2021, when NATO -led forces retreated from Afghanistan,

14350-522: The assignment and visited the camps. Louis Haefliger prevented the forceful eviction or blasting of Mauthausen-Gusen by alerting American troops. Friedrich Born (1903–1963), an ICRC delegate in Budapest who saved the lives of about 11,000 to 15,000 Jewish people in Hungary . Marcel Junod (1904–1961), a physician from Geneva was one of the first foreigners to visit Hiroshima after the atomic bomb

14525-488: The battlefield of Solferino. He called for the development of an international treaty to guarantee the protection of medics and field hospitals for soldiers wounded on the battlefield. In 1863, Gustave Moynier , a Geneva lawyer and president of the Geneva Society for Public Welfare, received a copy of Dunant's book and introduced it for discussion at a meeting of that society. As a result of this initial discussion,

14700-560: The battlefield. The conference was attended by 36 individuals: eighteen official delegates from national governments, six delegates from non-governmental organizations, seven non-official foreign delegates, and the five members of the International Committee. The states and kingdoms represented by official delegates were: Austrian Empire , Grand Duchy of Baden , Kingdom of Bavaria , French Empire , Kingdom of Hanover , Grand Duchy of Hesse , Kingdom of Italy , Kingdom of

14875-480: The book to leading political and military figures throughout Europe, and people he thought could help him make a change. His book included vivid descriptions of his experiences in Solferino in 1859, and he explicitly advocated the formation of national voluntary relief organizations to help nurse wounded soldiers in the case of war, inspired by Christian teaching regarding social responsibility and his experience after

15050-543: The cardinalate, and, in fact, Montini was never to be made a cardinal by Pius XII, who held no consistory and created no cardinals between the time he appointed Montini to Milan and his own death four years later. After Montini's friend Angelo Roncalli became Pope John XXIII , he made Montini a cardinal in December 1958. When the new pope announced an Ecumenical Council , Cardinal Montini reacted with disbelief and said to Giulio Bevilacqua : "This old boy does not know what

15225-507: The cardinals from voting for him, but Cardinal Giovanni Urbani dragged him back, muttering, "Eminence, shut up!" The white smoke first rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel at 11:22 am, when Protodeacon Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani announced to the public the successful election of Montini. When the new pope appeared on the central loggia, he gave the shorter episcopal blessing as his first apostolic blessing rather than

15400-491: The center of Jerusalem outside a shoe store on the busy main shopping street Jaffa Road . The explosion she caused killed her and Pinhas Tokatli (81), and injured more than 100 others. In the 2000s, the ICRC has been active in the Afghanistan conflict areas and has set up six physical rehabilitation centers to help land mine victims. Their support extends to the national and international armed forces, civilians and

15575-685: The coming years. Cardinal Montini journeyed to Africa in 1962, visiting Ghana , Sudan , Kenya , Congo , Rhodesia , South Africa, and Nigeria. After this journey, John XXIII called Montini to a private audience to report on his trip, speaking for several hours. In fifteen other trips, he visited Brazil (1960) and the USA (1960), including New York City, Washington DC, Chicago, the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Boston, Philadelphia , and Baltimore . He usually vacationed in Engelberg Abbey ,

15750-798: The conclave after John XXIII's death, Montini was elected pope on the sixth ballot on 21 June. When the Dean of the College of Cardinals Eugène Tisserant asked if he accepted the election, Montini said "Accepto, in nomine Domini" ("I accept, in the name of the Lord"). He took the name "Paul VI" in honor of Paul the Apostle . At one point during the conclave on 20 June, it was said that Cardinal Gustavo Testa lost his temper and demanded that opponents of Montini halt their efforts to thwart his election. Montini, fearful of causing strife, started to rise to dissuade

15925-528: The confederation. Their primary task was to develop regional work plans, elect regional presidents, and appoint commissions to support the overall work of the Caritas Internationalis general secretariat. This structure aimed to foster increased cooperation among organisations within the same region, ensuring a more cohesive and impactful approach to their humanitarian missions. Additionally, the first common manual on how to implement disaster aid

16100-601: The continuation and completion of Vatican II, the Canon Law reform, and improved social peace and justice worldwide. The unity of Christianity would be central to his activities. The Pope re-opened the Ecumenical Council on 29 September 1963, giving it four key priorities: He reminded the Council Fathers that only a few years earlier, Pope Pius XII had issued the encyclical Mystici corporis about

16275-458: The conventions. During the war, the ICRC was unable to obtain an agreement with Nazi Germany about the treatment of detainees in concentration camps , and the ICRC eventually abandoned applying pressure, saying later it did so in order to avoid disrupting its work with POWs. The ICRC was also unable to obtain a response to reliable information about the extermination camps and the mass killing of European Jews, Roma , et al. After November 1943,

16450-647: The council's final session, concelebrating with bishops from countries where the Church was persecuted. Several texts proposed for his approval had to be changed, but all were finally agreed upon. The council was concluded on 8 December 1965: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception . In the council's final session, Paul VI announced that he would open the canonisation processes of his immediate predecessors: Pope Pius XII and Pope John XXIII. According to Paul VI, "the most characteristic and ultimate purpose of

16625-526: The country in November 2013, Caritas Philippines organised large-scale relief and reconstruction efforts and Caritas Bangladesh has been heavily involved in the support to the Rohingya refugees arriving from Myanmar in 2017. Caritas Lebanon was faced with an additional emergency when the 2020 Beirut explosion destroyed large parts of the city, and Caritas Congo has been a major humanitarian actor in

16800-532: The current Caritas Madagascar in 1959. By 1957, Caritas Internationalis had 37 member organisations. Caritas Internationalis coordinated the relief efforts of its members in response to emergencies in Europe, such as the 1953 floods in the Netherlands and Belgium , the 1953 Ionian earthquake , and the displacement of 200,000 Hungarian refugees after the 1956 uprising . In February 1957, Caritas Internationalis established an Emergency Aid Commission. Two years later,

16975-592: The death of Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster in 1954, Montini was appointed to succeed him as Archbishop of Milan , which made him the secretary of the Italian Bishops Conference . Pius XII presented the new archbishop "as his personal gift to Milan". He was consecrated bishop in Saint Peter's Basilica by Cardinal Eugène Tisserant , the Dean of the College of Cardinals , since Pius XII

17150-415: The development of poorer regions and social justice among nations. In 1967, Pope Paul VI published Populorum progressio , an encyclical on the topic of "the development of peoples" which would become a foundational text for the work of Caritas Internationalis and its members. It prompted Catholic charities such as Caritas to contemplate their role within the Church and the contemporary world, reinforcing

17325-739: The end of the 1980s. Caritas Lebanon became a major humanitarian actor during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990). Together with the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches , Caritas Internationalis formed the Churches Drought Action for Africa, later renamed Joint Relief Programme, to respond to the communities affected by the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia and later

17500-600: The end of the war, between 1920 and 1922, the ICRC organized the return of about 500,000 prisoners to their home countries. In 1920, the task of repatriation was handed over to the newly founded League of Nations , which appointed the Norwegian diplomat and scientist Fridtjof Nansen as its "High Commissioner for Repatriation of the War Prisoners". His legal mandate was later extended to support and care for war refugees and displaced persons when his office became that of

17675-465: The end of the war, the Agency had transferred about 20 million letters and messages, 1.9 million parcels, and about 18 million Swiss francs in monetary donations to POWs of all affected countries. Furthermore, due to the intervention of the Agency, about 200,000 prisoners were exchanged between the warring parties, released from captivity and returned to their home country. The organizational card index of

17850-415: The exchange of messages regarding prisoners and missing persons. By the end of the war, 179 delegates had conducted 12,750 visits to POW camps in 41 countries. The Central Information Agency on Prisoners-of-War ( Agence centrale des prisonniers de guerre ) had a staff of 3,000, the card index tracking prisoners contained 45 million cards, and 120 million messages were exchanged by the Agency. One major obstacle

18025-464: The existing two Geneva Conventions were adopted. An additional convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea", now called the second Geneva Convention, was brought under the Geneva Convention umbrella as a successor to the 1907 Hague Convention X . The 1929 Geneva convention "relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War" may have been

18200-528: The expansion of one's own country at the expense of the immediate neighbours. People grow up with a feeling of being hemmed in. Peace becomes a transient compromise between wars." He described his experience in Warsaw as "useful, though not always joyful". When he became pope, the Communist government of Poland refused him permission to visit Poland on a Marian pilgrimage. His organisational skills led him to

18375-510: The faithful in the city, meeting cordially with intellectuals, artists, and writers. In his first months, Montini showed his interest in working conditions and labour issues by speaking to many unions and associations. He initiated the building of over 100 new churches, believing them the only non-utilitarian buildings in modern society, places for spiritual rest. His public speeches were noticed in Milan , Rome, and elsewhere. Some considered him

18550-563: The first time a reigning pontiff had left Italy in more than a century. Montini served in the Holy See's Secretariat of State from 1922 to 1954, and along with Domenico Tardini was considered the closest and most influential advisor of Pope Pius XII . In 1954, Pius named Montini Archbishop of Milan , the largest Italian diocese. Montini later became the Secretary of the Italian Bishops' Conference . John XXIII elevated Montini to

18725-484: The first time legally binding rules guaranteeing neutrality and protection for wounded soldiers, field medical personnel, and specific humanitarian institutions in an armed conflict. Directly following the establishment of the Geneva Convention, the first national societies were founded in Belgium, Denmark, France, Oldenburg , Italy, Prussia, Spain, and Württemberg. Also in 1864, Louis Appia and Charles van de Velde ,

18900-441: The following years, national societies were founded in nearly every country in Europe. The project resonated well with patriotic sentiments that were on the rise in the late-nineteenth-century, and national societies were often encouraged as signifiers of national moral superiority. In 1876, the committee adopted the name "International Committee of the Red Cross" (ICRC), which is still its official designation today. Five years later,

19075-598: The global stage through its UN delegations. On 19 July 1976, at the initiative of Pope Paul VI , Caritas Internationalis was granted civil juridical personality by the Vatican City State. The seven regions that currently form the Caritas confederation were established in the 1970s to enhance its effectiveness and unity. Regional assemblies were created and held during the General Assemblies of

19250-510: The history of his own afflicted time: with a deep understanding, that he was himself a part of that history. He wished to participate fully in it, to share his sufferings in his own heart and soul. As Pro-Secretary of State, Montini coordinated the activities of assistance to persecuted fugitives hidden in Catholic convents, parishes, seminaries, and schools. At the Pope's instruction, Montini, Ferdinando Baldelli , and Otto Faller established

19425-494: The homeless, the elderly, young mothers, people suffering from addictions, and the long-term unemployed. Simultaneously, a new global crisis emerged with the spreading of HIV/AIDS . In 1999, Caritas Internationalis signed a memorandum of understanding with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS , agreeing to collaborating in raising awareness about the virus and caring for those affected. In

19600-518: The insistence of John XXIII that the Council complete all its work before Christmas 1962, to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the Council of Trent , an insistence which may have also been influenced by the Pope's having recently been told that he had cancer. John had a vision but "did not have a clear agenda. His rhetoric seems to have had a note of over-optimism, a confidence in progress, which

19775-631: The largest civil society organisations in their respective countries. For instance, American Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is one of the largest international humanitarian NGOs globally, reporting a revenue of $ 923 million USD in 2020. Caritas Germany is the largest welfare organisation and private employer in Germany, with almost 700,000 employees. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Caritas Congo fills gaps in essential services where

19950-542: The late 1990s, Caritas also focused on peacebuilding , notably in Colombia where Caritas Colombia started implementing peacebuilding projects and became involved in truth and reconciliation initiatives. In 2000, it convened the first National Congress of Reconciliation. In the 2000s, Caritas became involved in the World Social Forum , with 450 delegates from around 40 Caritas organisations participating in

20125-414: The lay apostolate in modern terms: "Apostolate means love. We will love all, but especially those, who need help... We will love our time, our technology, our art, our sports, our world." On 20 June 1958, Saul Alinsky recalled meeting with Montini: "I had three wonderful meetings with Montini and I am sure that you have heard from him since.” Alinsky also wrote to George Nauman Shuster , two days before

20300-497: The long-term recovery phase implemented by Caritas organisations in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other countries. The latter phase included construction of earthquake-resistant houses and community infrastructure, job creation, and social assistance. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake , Caritas Internationalis and its member organisations provided humanitarian relief and rehabilitation support to over 1.5 million Haitians, using

20475-414: The longer, traditional Urbi et Orbi . Of the papacy, Paul VI wrote in his journal: "The position is unique. It brings great solitude. 'I was solitary before, but now my solitude becomes complete and awesome.'" Less than two years later, on 2 May 1965, Paul informed the dean of the College of Cardinals that his health might make it impossible to function as pope. He wrote, "In case of infirmity, which

20650-726: The main cause of death and suffering among Turkish soldiers. It was the first Red Crescent society of its kind and one of the most important charity organizations in the Muslim world. In 1867, the first International Conference of National Aid Societies for the Nursing of the War Wounded was convened. Also in 1867, Jean-Henri Dunant was forced to declare bankruptcy due to business failures in Algeria , partly because he had neglected his business interests during his tireless activities for

20825-513: The middle of the nineteenth century, there were no organized or well-established army nursing systems for casualties, nor safe or protected institutions, to accommodate and treat those who were wounded on the battlefield. A devout Calvinist , the Swiss businessman Jean-Henri Dunant traveled to Italy to meet then-French emperor Napoleon III in June 1859 with the intention of discussing difficulties in conducting business in Algeria , which at that time

21000-404: The name John XXIII. On 17 November 1958, L'Osservatore Romano announced a consistory for the creation of new cardinals, with Montini at the top of the list. When the Pope raised Montini to the cardinalate on 15 December 1958, he became Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti . The Pope appointed him simultaneously to several Vatican congregations, drawing him frequently to Rome in

21175-566: The national Caritas organisations. In most countries, the national Caritas is itself a federation of multiple Caritas organisations at diocesan level, which in turn can be further subdivided into different parish Caritas organisations. The confederation is divided into seven regions: Caritas Africa (with a secretariat based in Lomé, Togo ), Caritas Asia ( Bangkok, Thailand ), Caritas Europa ( Brussels, Belgium ), Caritas Middle East and North Africa ( Beirut, Lebanon ), Caritas North America (with

21350-560: The need for this type of Red Cross work. The total sum raised by these appeals reached 685 million Swiss francs, which were used to bring emergency supplies to the victims of famines in Russia, Germany, and Albania; earthquakes in Chile, Persia , Japan, Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Turkey; and refugee flows in Greece and Turkey. The first large-scale disaster mission of the League came after

21525-589: The neighbouring countries implemented a large-scale response to support the internally displaced persons and refugees from Ukraine. In the first two years of the conflict, Caritas Ukraine and Caritas-Spes alone provided humanitarian aid to more than 3.8 million people in Ukraine. In November 2022, Pope Francis removed the secretary general and the entire leadership and governance team of Caritas Internationalis following an external investigation that uncovered significant management deficiencies impacting staff morale at

21700-577: The notion that social action should be grounded in serving those most in need and that initiatives should be developed collaboratively with the communities. That same year, CIDSE was established to coordinate the tasks identified by the Second Vatican Council as priorities for the Church, such as caring for the poor and oppressed and focusing on global justice. Since then, there has been close cooperation between Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE, with some Caritas member organisations also belonging to CIDSE. Emergency relief efforts and coordination continued in

21875-400: The only international rallying point that still remained. Isolated, like stormy petrels , came the first inquiries for missing relatives; then these inquiries themselves became a storm. The letters arrived in sackfuls. Nothing had been prepared for dealing with such an inundation of misery. The Red Cross had no space, no organization, no system, and above all no helpers. However, by the end of

22050-494: The original Convention was revised and the second Geneva Convention "relative to the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea" was established. The events of World War I and the respective activities of the ICRC significantly increased the reputation and authority of the Committee among the international community and led to an extension of its competencies. As early as in 1934,

22225-465: The original intent of his trip and for several days he devoted himself to helping with the treatment and care of the wounded. He took part in organizing an overwhelming level of relief assistance with the local villagers to aid without discrimination. Back at his home in Geneva , he decided to write a book entitled A Memory of Solferino , which he published using his own money in 1862. He sent copies of

22400-415: The papal conclave that elected John XXIII: "No, I don't know who the next Pope will be, but if it's to be Montini, the drinks will be on me for years to come." Although some cardinals seem to have viewed Montini as a likely papabile candidate, possibly receiving some votes in the 1958 conclave , he had the handicap of not yet being a cardinal. Angelo Roncalli was elected pope on 28 October 1958 and took

22575-474: The pontiff by their 75th birthday. They were not required to do so but "earnestly requested of their own free will to tender their resignation from office". He extended this request to all cardinals in Ingravescentem aetatem on 21 November 1970, with the further provision that cardinals would relinquish their offices in the Roman Curia upon reaching their 80th birthday. These retirement rules enabled

22750-475: The poor and to families, immigration and housing, assistance to the sick, and the fight against alcoholism . The establishment of Caritas Catholica was reported to the Secretariat of State of the Holy See and the delegates of Caritas Catholica met every two years. Delegations were also present at some international conferences until the outbreak of the Second World War when all activities came to

22925-484: The professional Roman Curia , but Montini had learned its innermost workings while working in it for a generation. Unlike the papabile cardinals Giacomo Lercaro of Bologna and Giuseppe Siri of Genoa , Montini was identified neither left nor right nor as a radical reformer. He was viewed as most likely to continue the Second Vatican Council , which had adjourned without tangible results. In

23100-630: The raised funds to implement charitable projects was adopted in many countries and remains a major fundraising tool for many Caritas organisations worldwide. Caritas collaborated with the Food and Agriculture Organization on its five-year "Freedom from Hunger" campaign, launched in 1960. During its fifth General Assembly in 1960, the confederation called for locally based development aid in addition to emergency aid. The Confederation increasingly prioritized development as more Caritas organisations became development actors within their own countries. Consequently,

23275-589: The remaining hostages. In 1919, representatives from the national Red Cross societies of Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and the US came together in Paris to found the "League of Red Cross Societies" (IFRC). The original idea came from Henry Davison , who was then president of the American Red Cross . This move, led by the American Red Cross, expanded the international activities of the Red Cross movement beyond

23450-562: The rest of the 1950s, new national Caritas organisations were founded and joined Caritas Internationalis, including Caritas Hong Kong in 1953, Caritas Syria in 1954, and Caritas Brazil and Caritas Colombia in 1956. At the same time, the French Secours catholique set up antennas in the French colonies in Africa which would later become independent Caritas organisations, such as the current Caritas Burkina Faso , first established in 1956, or

23625-538: The rich in North America and Europe in favour of the poor in the Third World . His opposition to birth control was published in the 1968 encyclical Humanae vitae . Pope Benedict XVI , citing his heroic virtue , proclaimed him venerable on 20 December 2012. Pope Francis beatified Paul VI on 19 October 2014, after the recognition of a miracle attributed to his intercession. His liturgical feast

23800-482: The same level as foreign embassies, and simplifies Committee travel in and out of Switzerland. At the end of the Cold War , the ICRC's work became more dangerous. In the 1990s, more delegates died than at any point in its history, especially when working in local and internal armed conflicts. These incidents often demonstrated a lack of respect for the rules of the Geneva Conventions and their protection symbols. Among

23975-717: The second Geneva Convention from a historical point of view (because it was actually formulated in Geneva), but after 1949 it came to be called the third Convention because it came later chronologically than the Hague Convention. Reacting to the experience of World War II, the Fourth Geneva Convention , a new Convention "relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War", was established. Also,

24150-402: The sick, and elderly. The ICRC urgently called on all parties to the conflict not to forget their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of the civilian population and infrastructure, and respect the dignity of refugees and prisoners of war . In response to events in the conflict, the organisation issued rule of engagement for civilian hackers . Prior to

24325-418: The situation at the Geneva headquarters of the ICRC: Hardly had the first blows been struck when cries of anguish from all lands began to be heard in Switzerland. Thousands who were without news of fathers, husbands, and sons in the battlefields, stretched despairing arms into the void. By hundreds, by thousands, by tens of thousands, letters and telegrams poured into the little House of the Red Cross in Geneva,

24500-411: The slain delegates were: On 27 January 2002, Palestinian Red Crescent volunteer paramedic and suicide bomber Wafa Idris was transported to Jerusalem, Israel, by a Red Crescent ambulance, whose driver was part of the plot, and killed herself while committing the Jaffa Street bombing . Idris, wearing a Red Crescent uniform, detonated a 22-pound (10 kilogram) bomb made up of TNT packed into pipes, in

24675-451: The social mission of the Catholic Church. While all member organisations are fully autonomous, they share the same mission and values. Therefore, the Caritas Internationalis secretariat does not wield direct authority over its members, such as the power to appoint or dismiss staff or impose programmes. Caritas operates according to the principle of subsidiarity . This also explains why the member organisations of Caritas Internationalis are only

24850-399: The society established an investigatory commission to examine the feasibility of Dunant's suggestions and eventually to organize an international conference about their possible implementation. The members of this committee, which has subsequently been referred to as the "Committee of the Five", aside from Dunant and Moynier were physician Louis Appia , who had significant experience working as

25025-410: The steps of the papal throne in St. Peter's Basilica and ascended the altar, on which he laid the tiara as a sign of the renunciation of human glory and power in keeping with the innovative spirit of the council. It was announced that the tiara would be sold for charity. The purchasers arranged for it to be displayed as a gift to American Catholics in the crypt of the Basilica of the National Shrine of

25200-469: The strict mission of the ICRC to include relief assistance in response to emergency situations which were not caused by war (such as man-made or natural disasters). The ARC already had great disaster relief mission experience extending back to its foundation. The formation of the League, as an additional international Red Cross organization alongside the ICRC, was not without controversy for a number of reasons. The ICRC had, to some extent, valid concerns about

25375-426: The subject of significant controversy and criticism. As early as May 1944, the ICRC was criticized for its indifference to Jewish suffering and death—criticism that intensified after the end of the war, when the full extent of the Holocaust became undeniable. One defense to these allegations is that the Red Cross was trying to preserve its reputation as a neutral and impartial organization by not interfering with what

25550-468: The teachings of the Council" is the universal call to holiness : "all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity; by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society." This teaching is found in Lumen Gentium , the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, promulgated by Paul VI on 21 November 1964. On 14 September 1965, he established

25725-468: The team of the ICRC started a multi-day operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages held in Gaza and of Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank. In early December, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted that the Red Cross delegation must have access to the remaining hostages. The ICRC is not a negotiating power but the ICRC chief had direct talks with senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar in November, demanding direct access to

25900-401: The third period on 14 September 1964, telling the Council Fathers that he viewed the text about the Church as the most important document to come out from the council. As the Council discussed the role of bishops in the papacy, Paul VI issued an explanatory note confirming the primacy of the papacy, a step that was viewed by some as meddling in the council's affairs. American bishops pushed for

26075-419: The victims of violence and hunger during the Eritrean War of Independence in the early 1990s. In terms of advocacy, Caritas Internationalis focused on promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Notably, the organisation participated in United Nations sessions aimed at assessing and implementing recommendations from the International Year of Disabled Persons (1981). Another significant area of focus

26250-406: The war years, he replied to thousands of letters from all parts of the world with understanding and prayer, and arranging for help when possible. At the request of the Pope, Montini created an information office regarding prisoners of war and refugees, which from 1939 to 1947 received almost ten million requests for information about missing persons and produced over eleven million replies. Montini

26425-400: The widest and deepest in the Church's history. Paul VI spoke repeatedly to Marian conventions and Mariological meetings, visited Marian shrines and issued three Marian encyclicals . Following Ambrose of Milan , he named Mary as the Mother of the Church during the Second Vatican Council. He described himself as a humble servant of a suffering humanity and demanded significant changes from

26600-412: The work of the Caritas Internationalis, following the integration of the previous oversight body, the Pontifical Council Cor Unum , into the Dicastery in 2017. In November 2019, CNN reported that the Director of Caritas Central African Republic , a Belgian Salesian priest, had been convicted in Belgium in 2012 for child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography. CNN also identified two children in

26775-420: The world, including the United States and Japan, came to support the medical services of the armed forces of the European countries involved in the war. On 15 August 1914, immediately after the start of the war, the ICRC set up its International Prisoners-of-War Agency (IPWA) to trace POWs and to re-establish communications with their respective families. The Austrian writer and pacifist Stefan Zweig described

26950-510: The year, the Agency already had some 1,200 volunteers who worked in the Musée Rath of Geneva, amongst them the French writer and pacifist Romain Rolland . When he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for 1915, he donated half of the prize money to the Agency. Most of the staff were women, some of whom – like Marguerite van Berchem , Marguerite Cramer and Suzanne Ferrière  – served in high positions as pioneers of gender equality in an organisation dominated by men. By

27125-414: Was adopted in 1979. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Confederation responded to a series of global humanitarian emergencies, including droughts in the Sahel , the influx of Vietnamese refugees arriving in Hong Kong starting in 1982, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake , the humanitarian emergency during the First Gulf War (1980-1988), the 1988 Bangladesh cyclone , and the extreme winter conditions in Europe at

27300-518: Was awarded in 1901, the Norwegian Nobel Committee opted to give it jointly to Jean-Henri Dunant and Frédéric Passy , a leading international pacifist . More significant than the honor of the prize itself, this prize marked the overdue rehabilitation of Jean-Henri Dunant and represented a tribute to his key role in the formation of the Red Cross. Dunant died nine years later in the small Swiss health resort of Heiden . Only two months earlier his long-standing adversary Gustave Moynier had also died, leaving

27475-408: Was celebrated on the date of his birth, 26 September, until 2019 when it was changed to the date of his priestly ordination, 29 May. Pope Francis canonised him on 14 October 2018. Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini was born in the village of Concesio , in the Province of Brescia , Lombardy , Italy , in 1897. His father, Giorgio Montini (1860–1943), was a lawyer, journalist, director of

27650-667: Was characteristic of the 1960s." During his period in Milan, Montini was widely seen as a progressive member of the Catholic hierarchy. He adopted new approaches to reach the faithful with pastoral care and carried through the liturgical reforms of Pius XII at the local level. For example, huge posters announced throughout the city that 1,000 voices would speak to them from 10 to 24 November 1957: more than 500 priests and many bishops, cardinals, and lay people delivered 7,000 sermons, not only in churches but in factories, meeting halls, houses, courtyards, schools, offices, military barracks, hospitals, hotels and wherever people congregated. His goal

27825-534: Was dropped. In 1944, the ICRC received its second Nobel Peace Prize. As in World War I, it received the only Peace Prize awarded during the main period of war, 1939 to 1945. At the end of the war, the ICRC worked with national Red Cross societies to organize relief assistance to those countries most severely affected. In 1948, the Committee published a report reviewing its war-era activities from 1 September 1939 to 30 June 1947. The ICRC opened its archives from World War II in 1996. On 12 August 1949, further revisions to

28000-445: Was given a further endorsement when the Secretariat of State entrusted it with the official representation of all Catholic welfare organisations at the international level, especially at the United Nations . The Holy Year in 1950 saw the beginning of a union of Caritas organisations. Following a suggestion by Monsignor Montini, then Substitute Secretary of State and later Pope Paul VI , a study week, with participants from 22 countries,

28175-440: Was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXIII , he continued the Second Vatican Council , which he closed in 1965, implementing its numerous reforms. He fostered improved ecumenical relations with Eastern Orthodox and Protestant churches , which resulted in many historic meetings and agreements. In January 1964, he flew to Jordan ,

28350-586: Was held in Rome to examine the problems of Christian Caritas work. As a result, the decision was made to set up an "International Conference of Catholic Charities". On 21 October 1951, the Holy See approved the statutes of this international organisations ad experimentum and from 12 to 14 December 1951, the constitutive assembly of Caritas Internationalis took place. Founding members came from Caritas organisations in 13 countries: Austria , Belgium , Canada , Denmark , France , Germany , Italy , Luxembourg , Netherlands , Portugal , Spain , Switzerland , and

28525-425: Was hiding, nay revealing a noble position of great strength and fearless courage. When war broke out, Maglione, Tardini, and Montini were the principal figures in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. Montini dispatched "ordinary affairs" in the morning, while in the afternoon he moved informally to the third floor Office of the Private Secretary of the Pontiff, serving in place of a personal secretary. During

28700-417: Was known as the Darfur Emergency Response Operation (DERO). Caritas Internationalis also coordinated the confederation's response after the 2003 invasion of Iraq , with Caritas Iraq being one of the few humanitarian organisations operational in the country. In the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami , Caritas Internationalis raised around US$ 450,000,000 for the initial emergency phase and

28875-452: Was occupied by France . He arrived in the small town of Solferino on the evening of 24 June after the Battle of Solferino , an engagement in the Austro-Sardinian War . In a single day, about 40,000 soldiers on both sides died or were left wounded on the field. Dunant was shocked by the terrible aftermath of the battle, the suffering of the wounded soldiers, and the near-total lack of medical attendance and basic care. He completely abandoned

29050-577: Was re-introducing faith to a city without much religion. "If only we can say Our Father and know what this means, then we would understand the Christian faith." Pius XII asked Archbishop Montini to Rome in October 1957, where he gave the main presentation to the Second World Congress of Lay Apostolate . As Pro-Secretary of State, he had worked hard to form this worldwide organisation of lay people in 58 nations, representing 42 national organisations. He presented them to Pius XII in Rome in 1951. The second meeting in 1957 gave Montini an opportunity to express

29225-595: Was sent to Berlin as a delegate of the International Red Cross; he visited Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1944. The choice of the inexperienced Rossel for this mission has been interpreted as indicative of his organization's indifference to the "Jewish problem", while his report has been described as "emblematic of the failure of the ICRC" to advocate for Jews during the Holocaust. Rossel's report was noted for its uncritical acceptance of Nazi propaganda . He erroneously stated that Jews were not deported from Theresienstadt. Claude Lanzmann recorded his experiences in 1979, producing

29400-420: Was seriously affected by numerous aerial attacks on medical facilities and ambulances. The ICRC said in November that civilians have "overwhelmingly borne the brunt" civilians the fighting in the Palestinian enclave and Israel so far. Israeli forces have killed over 25,000 people, including civilians, Israeli nationals, and Hamas members in a devastating bombing campaign and ground offensive. In late November,

29575-489: Was several times attacked by Benito Mussolini 's government for meddling in politics, but the Holy See consistently defended him. When Maglione died in 1944, Pius XII appointed Tardini and Montini as joint heads of the Secretariat, each a Pro-Secretary of State. Montini described Pius XII with a filial admiration: His richly cultivated mind, his unusual capacity for thought and study led him to avoid all distractions and every unnecessary relaxation. He wished to enter fully into

29750-450: Was severely ill. On 12 December 1954, Pius XII delivered a radio address from his sick bed about Montini's appointment to the crowd in St. Peter's Basilica. Both Montini and the Pope had tears in their eyes when Montini departed for his diocese with its 1,000 churches, 2,500 priests and 3,500,000 souls. On 5 January 1955, Montini formally took possession of his Cathedral of Milan . Montini settled well into his new tasks among all groups of

29925-437: Was subsequently named Caritas Catholica and formally established in 1928, with its headquarters at Caritas Switzerland in Lucerne . Wilhelm Kissling, the director of the Swiss Caritas , was appointed the first General Secretary, while Paul Müller-Sirnonis, the director of Caritas Alsace , became the inaugural president. The secretariat was organised into six specialised sections: youth, knowledge and teaching of charity, aid to

30100-410: Was that the Nazi -controlled German Red Cross refused to cooperate with the Geneva statutes, including blatant violations such as the deportation of Jews from Germany, and the mass murders conducted in the Nazi concentration camps . Two other main parties to the conflict, the Soviet Union and Japan, were not party to the 1929 Geneva Conventions and were not legally required to follow the rules of

30275-401: Was the last such ceremony ; his successor Pope John Paul I substituted an inauguration (which Paul had substantially modified, but which he left mandatory in his 1975 apostolic constitution Romano Pontifici Eligendo ). At his coronation, Paul wore a tiara presented by the Archdiocese of Milan. Near the end of the third session of the Second Vatican Council in 1964, Paul VI descended

30450-475: Was the promotion of women's participation in programmes. Caritas Internationalis played an active role in the 1980 World Conference on Women and, in 1983, Caritas Latin America organised a dedicated event in Panama focusing on the role of women in development. In 1983, the Angolan Cardinal Alexandre do Nascimento succeeded the German priest Georg Hüssler as President of Caritas Internationalis. The 1990s and were marked by numerous humanitarian crises to which

30625-467: Was viewed as a German internal matter. The Red Cross also considered its primary focus to be prisoners of war whose countries had signed the Geneva Convention . The Geneva Conventions in their 1929 revision formed the legal basis of the work of the ICRC during World War II. The activities of the committee were similar to those during World War I: visiting and monitoring POW camps , organizing relief assistance for civilian populations , and administering

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