Caritas S.A. President Launches Diocesan Chaplaincy to Blend with Church Structure

Johannesburg, 06 August, 2023 / 9:04 PM

The President of Caritas South Africa has launched Diocesan chaplaincy to integrate the charity arm into the structure of the Church and to assist coordinators and local Priests across Dioceses in their responsibilities.

In a Thursday, August 3 report following a virtual event to mark the fifth anniversary of Caritas South Africa, Bishop Stanisław Jan Dziuba said that the establishment of a Diocesan chaplaincy will enable Caritas to become “integrated into the life of the Church”.

“To foster the spiritual source and dimension of Caritas, we need to have Diocesan Chaplains of Caritas, who take a leading role in the spiritual formation of the Diocesan Committee, as well as all staff and volunteers of Caritas in the diocese in cooperation with the Parish Priests,” Bishop  Dziuba said.

The Bishop of Umzimkulu Diocese said the job of the Diocesan Chaplain will be to foster a team spirit, delegate tasks and manage the spiritual life of the organization with the help of management staff.

“The Caritas Chaplain must be a symbol of unity within the institution, acting as a link between the Diocesan and National Caritas Offices in spiritual affairs alongside other Church organizations dedicated to the service of charity in the Catholic Church,” Bishop  Dziuba said.

The President of Caritas South Africa said the Diocesan Chaplain will also be required to facilitate and promote cooperation, and respect for diversity, taking into account the pastoral orientation of the local Churches.

The Bishop further said that the Chaplain must always remember the mandate of Caritas of assisting the Bishops in their ministry of charity, a mandate he said would be performed in a spirit of collegiality with Caritas Internationalis.