Caritas Belarus

Belarusian Catholic social welfare organisation

Caritas Belarus

Catholic Charitable Society Caritas

Дабрачыннае каталіцкае таварыства Карытас Беларусь

Type| Nonprofit
Purpose| social welfare, social justice
Headquarters| Cathedral of the Holy Name of Saint Virgin Mary
Location|

* Minsk, Belarus

Coordinates| 53°54′11″N 27°33′17″E﻿ / ﻿53.9030°N 27.5546°E﻿ / 53.9030; 27.5546
Services| social services, humanitarian aid
Affiliations| Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Europa
Website| caritas.by

Caritas Belarus (Belarusian: Рэлігійная місія «Дабрачыннае каталіцкае таварыства Карытас» Канферэнцыі Каталіцкіх Біскупаў у Беларусі; "Religious Mission 'Caritas Catholic Charitable Society' of the Catholic Bishops' Conference in Belarus") is a not-for-profit social welfare organisation in Belarus. It is a service of the Catholic Church in Belarus.

Caritas Belarus is a member of both Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Europa.

## History and structure

[edit]

In Belarus, Caritas was founded in 1990 during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Initially, its work focussed on the provision of humanitarian aid in the parishes and for people living in poverty. Caritas organisations developed at the diocesan level.

The national Caritas Belarus, based in the capital Minsk, was represents all diocesan Caritas organisations in ministries and various government agencies, as well as in the international organizations, such as Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Europa and other international partners, including Renovabis. The four diocesan Caritas organisations are:

* Caritas of the Minsk-Mogilev Archdiocese (Belarusian: Карытас Мінска-Магілёўскай архідыяцэзіі), founded in 1991[1]
* Caritas of the Vitebsk Diocese (Belarusian: Карытас Віцебскай дыяцэзіі), founded in 1999[2]
* Caritas of the Grodno Diocese (Belarusian: Карытас Гродзенскай дыяцэзіі), founded in 1990[3]
* Caritas of the Pinsk Diocese (Belarusian: Карытас Пінскай дыяцэзіі), founded in 1993[4]

Caritas Belarus reports to the Episcopal Conference of Belarus.

## Work

[edit]

Caritas donation boxes in a church in Vitebsk.

In the 1990s, a significant focus of humanitarian efforts in Belarus was improving the health of children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. This included initiatives such as organising holidays in Austria for thousands of children to support their physical and psychological recovery.[5][6]

Caritas Belarus has been at the forefront of providing care and assistance to vulnerable groups in the country. The organisation provides free lunches, shelters for orphans and social orphans, and programmes to facilitate the integration of children and young people with disabilities into society.[7][8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Карытас Мінска-Магілёўскай архідыяцэзіі". caritas.by (in Belarusian). Retrieved 26 December 2024.
2. ^ "Карытас". kascelmery.by (in Belarusian). Retrieved 15 December 2024.
3. ^ "Карытас Гродзенскай дыяцэзіі: асноўныя кірункі дзейнасці". grodnensis.by (in Belarusian). 28 September 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
4. ^ ""Карытас" Пінскай дыяцэзіі". pcd.by (in Belarusian). Retrieved 26 December 2024.
5. ^ "Belarus". caritas.org. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
6. ^ Courtney Mares (17 February 2021). "Authorities in Belarus stall Catholic charity initiative to help low-income families". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
7. ^ "Country Profiles: Belarus". migrants-refugees.va. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
8. ^ "Politische Krise in Belarus: Caritas kann Bedürftigen weiterhin helfen". kirche-und-leben.de (in German). 13 August 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caritas in Belarus.

* v
* t
* e

Caritas Internationalis Member Organisations and Regional Secretariats

Caritas Africa Member Organisations

|  |

Caritas Angola
Caritas Benin
Caritas Botswana
Caritas Burkina Faso (OCADES)
Caritas Burundi
Caritas Cameroon
Caritas Cape Verde
Caritas Central African Republic
Caritas Chad
Caritas Comoros
Caritas Congo-Brazzaville
Caritas Congo
Caritas Côte d'Ivoire
Caritas Equatorial Guinea
Caritas Eritrea

Caritas Eswatini
Caritas Ethiopia (ECC- SDCO)
Caritas Gabon
Caritas Gambia (CaDO)
Caritas Ghana
Caritas Guinea (OCPH)
Caritas Guinea-Bissau
Caritas Kenya
Caritas Lesotho
Caritas Liberia
Caritas Madagascar
Caritas Malawi (CADECOM)
Caritas Mali
Caritas Mauritius
Caritas Mozambique
Caritas Namibia

Caritas Niger (CADEV)
Caritas Nigeria
Caritas Rwanda
Caritas São Tomé and Príncipe
Caritas Senegal
Caritas Seychelles
Caritas Sierra Leone
Caritas South Africa (Siyabhabha Trust)
Caritas South Sudan
Caritas Sudan
Caritas Tanzania
Caritas Togo (OCDI)
Caritas Uganda
Caritas Zambia
Caritas Zimbabwe (CADEC)

|
|
|

Caritas Asia Member Organisations

|  |

Caritas Bangladesh
Caritas Cambodia
Caritas Hong Kong
Caritas India
Caritas Indonesia
Caritas Japan
Caritas Kazakhstan
Caritas Kyrgyzstan
Caritas Laos

Caritas Korea
Caritas Macau
Caritas Malaysia
Caritas Mongolia
Caritas Myanmar (KMSS)
Caritas Nepal
Caritas Pakistan
Caritas Philippines (NASSA)
Caritas Singapore and CHARIS

Caritas Sri Lanka
Caritas Taiwan
Caritas Tajikistan
Caritas Thailand
Caritas Timor Leste
Caritas Uzbekistan
Caritas Vietnam

|
|
|

Caritas Europa Member Organisations

|  |

Caritas Albania
Caritas Andorra
Armenian Caritas
Caritas Austria
Caritas Azerbaijan (corresponding member)
Caritas Belarus
Caritas Catholica Belgica
Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina
Caritas Bulgaria
Caritas Croatia
Caritas Czech Republic
Caritas Denmark
Caritas Estonia
Caritas Finland
Secours catholique
Caritas Georgia

Caritas Germany
Caritas Hellas
Caritas Hungary
Caritas Iceland
Trócaire
Caritas Italy
Caritas Kosovo (corresponding member)
Caritas Latvia
Caritas Lithuania
Caritas Luxembourg
Caritas Malta
Caritas Moldova
Caritas Monaco
Caritas Montenegro
Cordaid
Macedonian Caritas

Caritas Norway
Caritas Poland
Caritas Portugal
Caritas Romania
Caritas Russia
Caritas Serbia
Caritas Slovakia
Caritas Slovenia
Caritas Spain
Caritas Sweden
Caritas Switzerland
Caritas Turkey
Caritas Ukraine & Caritas-Spes
CAFOD, CSAN and SCIAF

|
|
|

Caritas Latin America and Caribbean Member Organisations

|  |

Caritas Antilles
Caritas Argentina
Caritas Bolivia
Caritas Brazil
Caritas Chile
Caritas Colombia
Caritas Costa Rica
Caritas Cuba

Caritas Dominican Republic
Caritas Ecuador
Caritas El Salvador
Caritas Guatemala
Caritas Haiti
Caritas Honduras
Caritas Mexico
Caritas Nicaragua

Caritas Panama
Caritas Paraguay
Caritas Peru
Caritas Puerto Rico
Caritas Uruguay
Caritas Venezuela

|
|
|

Caritas Middle East and North Africa Member Organisations

|  |

Caritas Algeria
Caritas Cyprus
Caritas Djibouti
Caritas Iran
Caritas Iraq

Caritas Jerusalem
Caritas Jordan
Caritas Lebanon
Caritas Libya
Caritas Mauritania

Caritas Morocco
Caritas Somalia
Caritas Syria
Caritas Tunisia

|
|
|

Caritas North America Member Organisations

|  |

Development and Peace

Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Charities

|
|
|

Caritas Oceania Member Organisations

|  |

Caritas Australia
Caritas Fiji
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

Caritas Pacific Islands
Caritas Papua New Guinea

Caritas Samoa
Caritas Tonga

|
|
|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template