Welcome to Caritas

Caritas is the Catholic agency for justice, peace and development. Caritas can be translated as “love in action”, which means that we work to make a real difference in the lives of people living with poverty or injustice. Gospel values and Catholic social teaching provide the foundation and framework for our work.

Media Releases

Nepalese Community Forestry Project Benefits from World Youth Day Carbon Offsets

20 June 2008

A community development project in southwestern Nepal is set to benefit from the World Youth Day (WYD) carbon footprint programme. New Zealand WYD pilgrims travelling to Sydney through more»

Caritas Dispels Refugee Myths

6 June 2008

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand aims to dispel commonly held myths and prejudices about refugees through a leaflet produced for the Catholic Church’s Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants on 22 more»

Caritas Pleased with Donor Response to Burma (Myanmar) Appeal

28 May 2008

New Zealanders have so far given about $130,000 to the Burma/Myanmar cyclone appeal run by Catholic aid agency Caritas, and donations continue to flow in. Caritas director Mike Smith said it’s more»

Budget Comment - Poorest Miss Out

23 May 2008

The way society responds to the needs of its poor through its public policies is the litmus test of how just or unjust a society it is. New Zealand Church Leaders, 1993 New Zealand ’s poorest more»

WYD carbon offsets go to Nepalese forestry project

Pilgrims travelling to Sydney for World Youth Day have benefited a Caritas community forestry project in Nepal by $17,500 in voluntary carbon offsets. Read more ...

Caritas Director Mike Smith (right) receives the $17,500 from Ross Jamieson of Williment Travel, which collected the carbon offset contributions from pilgrims on behalf of the World Youth Day committee.

Refugee Myths and Realities

Caritas' Refugee Myths and Realities fact sheet has been very well-received. Prepared for Refugee Week and the Day of Prayer for Refugees and Migrants in June, and distributed to Catholic parishes and schools, it dispels common myths about refugees. More information and material for download on our Refugee Week 2008 page.

Burma (Myanmar) Cyclone Relief

Thank you to our donors who have contributed over $130,000 to our Special Appeal to help survivors of Cyclone Nargis with food, shelter and medicine. The international Caritas appeal is targetting NZ$10.5 million, and is working through Catholic Church partners and other networks on the ground in Burma (Myanmar) to distribute aid to those in need. Go to our Emergencies page for more, or check out the Caritas Internationalis site.

We have a Treaty - Cluster Bombs Ban Agreed

Last month in Dublin, 112 nations adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions, to prohibit the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster bombs. Both New Zealand and the Vatican were key proponents of a strong, comprehensive Treaty. Caritas is a member of the Aotearoa NZ Cluster Munitions Coalition, which will now focus on getting swift ratification of the new treaty.

Thank you for your Lenten contributions

Caritas appreciates contributions to our Lent 2008 Appeal. Donations are still coming in and being processed. The total so far is over $800,000. Receipts have been mailed out to donors.

You may still contribute to the Lent appeal online through our secure donations page, or by credit card on 0800 22 10 22.

Peace Lamp for the Holy Land

Peace lamps in the form of an oil lamp (like the one shown) or a dove are available for borrowing from Caritas. The Peace Lamp for the Holy Land project promoted by Caritas Jerusalem encourages prayers for the Holy Land, and provides jobs in the region.