Staff from the Urgence France team deliver construction materials to a migrant camp. Credit: Secours Catholique, Caritas France, Elodie PERRIOT, 2015
Our structure
Caritas is present at every level of the Church.
With 162 national organisations active in more than 200 countries and territories, the Caritas Confederation unites distinct and autonomous entities working at parish, diocesan, national and regional levels, each with its own mandate and expertise.
Together, these levels form a single global Confederation, rooted locally yet able to coordinate globally, with one mission: to serve people facing poverty and exclusion with compassion, professionalism and solidarity.
Parish Caritas
A parish Caritas works under the leadership of the parish priest or parish council, who in turn refers to the diocesan bishop. It serves its local community based on needs identified at the grassroots.
Diocesan Caritas
There are more than 3,000 diocesan Caritas organisations worldwide. Each one is accountable to its diocesan bishop and runs projects and programmes to support people in its community.
The role of the bishop in organising the service of charity is explained in Pope Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio Intima Ecclesiae Natura.
National Caritas
A national Caritas works under the leadership of the local episcopal conference. It coordinates projects and activities of diocesan Caritas and has its own funding, Constitution, governing bodies and management systems. Every national Caritas is affiliated to Caritas Internationalis and belongs to one of the seven regions of the Confederation.
Rights of national Caritas members include:
- Electing the organisational structures of Caritas Internationalis and being member of them
- Taking part in programmes of mutual cooperation at regional and global levels
- Contributing to draw the strategic direction of Caritas Internationalis
- Being informed about how the strategic plan is implemented, the economic and financial state of Caritas Internationalis
- Receiving support in their work
- Seeing their activities integrated into the universal Church’s commitment for integral human development
- Having their autonomy respected
Duties of national Caritas members include:
- Acting in line with Catholic teaching, canon law and the guidance of Church authorities
- Making sure their statutes harmonise with those of Caritas Internationalis
- Complying with norms of conduct, criteria defined in the Statutes and Internal Rules of Caritas Internationalis, internationally shared principles and Management Standards
- Coordinating international activities with Caritas Internationalis and supporting the coordination role of the General Secretariat
- Following Caritas Internationalis procedures for resolution of disputes
- Paying statutory fees and contributing to joint activities and structures
Our seven regional Caritas
There are seven regional bodies: Africa, Asia, Europa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America and Oceania. They support national members through coordination, knowledge-sharing and solidarity.
The main purposes of regional Caritas are to:
- Organise actions and accompaniment that strengthen members
- Coordinate members where common issues arise
- Contribute to Caritas Internationalis programmes and put them into practice regionally
- Apply Caritas Internationalis guidelines, procedures and systems while respecting members’ specific contexts
General Secretariat
The General Secretariat of Caritas Internationalis is based in the Vatican City and coordinates, represents and mobilises the Confederation globally.
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- Coordinates responses to major humanitarian crises
- Advocates at the international level
- Supports and accompanies members and regions to strengthen their structures, systems and services
We’re also present in New York and Geneva, where Caritas represents the Confederation at the United Nations.
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When disaster strikes, our Emergency Response Team works with national Caritas members to get families the help they need fast.
