Pope Leo XIV to Caritas: Be artisans of peace, serve every person with dignity Pope Leo XIV on Friday met with the leadership and staff of Caritas Internationalis, the Church\u2019s global charitable network operating in more than 200 countries, asking them to be \u201cpilgrims of hope\u201d and \u201cartisans of peace\u201d in the world. During the morning meeting held at the Vatican, the Holy Father thanked Caritas Internationalis president Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi and approximately 70 Caritas workers for their \u201csteadfast service\u201d within the Church and to people throughout the world. \u201cCaritas Internationalis has long been a luminous sign of the Church\u2019s maternal love,\u201d he said to the multinational delegation on Nov. 21. \u201cThe love we receive from Christ is never a private treasure but always a mission entrusted to our hands,\u201d he added. \u201cLove sends us forth; love makes us servants; love opens our eyes to the wounds of others.\u201d Repeating his papal predecessor\u2019s desire that Caritas uphold Christ\u2019s \u201cpreference for the poor, the least, the abandoned, and discarded,\u201d Leo emphasized their mission, together with the \u201csuccessor of Peter,\u201d is to serve every person with dignity. 3 pillars that sustain the Church\u2019s work in the world \u201cYour mission echoes the vision I shared in my first address to the diplomatic corps, where I spoke of the three pillars that sustain the Church\u2019s work in the world: peace, justice, and truth,\u201d he said. \u201cThese pillars are not abstract ideals.\u201d Besides asking Caritas to continue accompanying local churches and their various initiatives to support the poor, the pope also insisted they also work toward \u201cstrengthening the formation of lay leaders\u201d and \u201csafeguarding unity within your diverse organization.\u201d \u201cThe Church\u2019s mission unfolds only when we walk together as companions along the way, allowing the Holy Spirit to shape our works of mercy,\u201d he said during the private audience. In 2022, Caritas Internationalis\u2019 leadership was placed under temporary administration following a decree issued by Pope Francis to revise its statutes and regulations to \u201cimprove\u201d its mission of charity and justice. Before individually greeting each member of the delegation at the end of the meeting, Pope Leo entrusted Caritas\u2019 work to \u201cMary, Mother of the Poor\u201d and asked God to bless them with the \u201cgifts of courage, perseverance, and joy.\u201d \u201cQuite sincerely, I thank you, each and every one of you, and the many people that you represent, those who work with you,\u201d he said. Before meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Friday, Kikuchi told EWTN News that the 162-member organization is more than a professional \u201cgoodwill\u201d agency. \u201cWe are the charitable arm of the Catholic Church,\u201d he said in the Nov. 20 interview. \u201cWhy are we being charitable? Because we want to spread the Gospel message \u2014 the love of God.\u201d During the Church\u2019s 2025 Jubilee Year, Kikuchi said Caritas\u2019 \u201cTurn Debt Into Hope\u201d campaign is a response to Pope Francis\u2019 call for the cancellation of developing nations\u2019 international debt, outlined in the papal bull Spes Non Confundit. \u201cThere are many countries who owe money to developed countries,\u201d the cardinal said. \u201cWe want to turn debt into hope [and] to cancel that debt so people really have the hope to survive.\u201d This article was originally published by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Kristina Millare Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Meet Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati: Church\u2019s Newest Saints Polish bishops: New allegation that JPII covered up sex abuse based on reports from communist secret police Da Roma al mondo: L’evangelizzazione radicata nella verit\u00e0 e nella bellezza Pope Francis on World Day for Consecrated Life: Religious have \u2018special role\u2019 in the Church Pope Leo XIV asks Rupnik accusers to be patient The Synod on Synodality Concludes<\/p>\n