Caritas Internationalis will walk in a spirit of “service and synodality” with Leo XIV

The election of Leo XIV has been received with enthusiasm by Cáritas Internationalis, who expressed his support for the new Pontiff and reaffirmed his willingness to walk alongside the new Pope “with a spirit of service and synodality”, recognizing his choice as a sign of continuity and renewal in the ecclesial commitment to the most vulnerable.

“We offer our most sincere prayers at the beginning of its sacred ministry and we commit ourselves to follow and support it with a spirit of service and synodality, so that, when guiding the Church, it is a visible foundation of unity in faith and communion in charity, having bridges through dialogue, while we built a synodal church, walking together, for greater peace and charity, close to those who suffer,” said the Catholic organization in a statement.

Likewise, Cáritas Internationalis valued the meaning that the new Pope has chosen to be called León, precisely a few days after the 134th anniversary of the encyclical Of the revolutionary of Leo XIII, which gave rise to the social doctrine of the Church.

“The choice of the name Leon is deeply significant when we approach the 134th anniversary of the encyclical Of the revolutionaryon May 17, a clear commitment to the social apostolate of the Church and the Catholic social doctrine, ”he said in the statement.

Likewise, Cáritas Internationalis said that his mission is closely linked to charity as an essential expression of the ecclesial being: “As the service of charity is a constitutive element of the mission of the Church and an indispensable expression of its own being (The intimate nature of the Church), This new chapter invites us to renew our mission: to testify to the love of Christ through concrete acts of compassion, justice and hope for the most vulnerable in the world, with the dignity of each person in the center, listening to ‘both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ (Laudato yes’, 49)”.

For his part, the president of Caritas Internationalis, Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, emphasized that the organization is not only an entity of help, but “a manifestation of God’s love in action.”

Along the same lines, the general secretary of the Confederation, Alistair Dutton, celebrated the beginning of the Pontificate of Leo XIV: “This is an exciting moment for the Church and for the world. The immediate identification of Pope León with issues such as peace, solidarity, dialogue and charity, and in particular his commitment to the people who suffer, is a first indication of his commitment to a missionary church for the poor and social justice.”

The new Pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, has a long pastoral and social trajectory. Born in Chicago, he was a bishop of Chiclayo, in Peru, and Prefect of the Dicasterio for the bishops. Between 2022 and 2024, the Board of Directors of Cáritas Peru joined.

From the United States, the president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) – member of Cáritas Internationalis – Sean Callahan, also expressed his joy for the election: “We are very happy for the choice of Pope Leo XIV and we expect with interest his leadership and guidance. As the first Pope born in the United States, it is a transcendental event for US Catholics American Church, CRS is proud to celebrate its historic choice. ”

Rooted in the Gospel and in the Catholic social doctrine, Cáritas Internationalis is a global confederation present in more than 200 countries.