Portugal: Cáritas celebrates history as the «armed arm» of the Church’s charity
Rita Valadas highlights outreach work over the past 65 years
Lisbon, December 11, 2021 (Ecclesia) – The president of Cáritas Portuguesa highlighted the work developed over the last 65 years, as an “armed arm” of the Catholic Church’s charity.
“We are on our way to reach the perfection that we are not going to achieve, despite being the armed wing of the church,” said Rita Valadas to the ECCLESIA Agency.
Cáritas Portuguesa is celebrating 65 years in Portugal – and 70 years of the international confederation -, seeking to be at the side of the most fragile and unprotected in society.
“Caritas always looks at its reality and with great proximity and evolved according to what it was seeing and always responded to what was needed at that moment”, stressed the person in charge of the Catholic institution.
A “permanent attention to what is happening”, but always “adapting the initiatives” to what is needed.
In March 2020, Portugal was confined due to Covid-19, but in April Cáritas Portuguesa was “solving problems” because “it was necessary to act on this difficulty”, emphasized Rita Valadas.
In relation to the future, the vision of Cáritas Portuguesa must have “two paths” centered on people because the times “to come are not going to be easy”.
Celebrating 65 years, Cáritas Portuguesa has its ears tuned to the words that ask for help.
“More than listening is listening because it is an active listening and reacts to what you hear”, stressed the institution’s president.
On this journey, words are also important and spoken at the right time, they represent a strong instrument that lifts the most fragile and humanizes society.
“The love that transforms” is the motto for this evocation of 65 years of Cáritas in Portugal, which reflects years of solidarity, in the mission to help, support and support all those who are in difficulties.
The celebration is highlighted in the program ’70 × 7 ′, this Sunday, at 5:30 pm, on RTP 2, and on Antena 1 on public radio, at 06:00 am of the same day.
LFS / OC