The House of Spain in San Juan, Puerto Rico, hosted this May 31, 2023, the opening of the XX Latin American and Caribbean Congress of Cáritas, which will be held until next June 4 on the island known as Isla del Encanto. A very important milestone in walking together, united with the people with whom Caritas shares struggles and hopes.

Welcome by the archbishop and local authorities

Mons. Roberto González Nieves, archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico, welcomed the participants of the Congress and thanked all those who from the local Church have participated in the organization. In his intervention he recalled the Pope's recent words to Caritas Internationalis, where he called on them to announce the Gospel with good works, to take care of the training of the personnel who work in Caritas, and to form a present and mature laity, highlighting that they can show the maternal heart and the fight for justice in the Church. An ecclesiastical institution that according to the archbishop is the one that most excites.

A welcome that was also carried out by the local authorities, whose representative showed in broad strokes the reality of the island and its people, a believing people who have overcome enormous challenges to the extent that they have remained united as a people, highlighting the respect present among Puerto Ricans, highlighting the work that Cáritas does transforming lives with justice and above all with love. The director of the House of Spain also welcomed, acknowledging the presence of those he defined as the best example of what Christian social works should be, and congratulating Cáritas for its work.

Work of Cáritas Puerto Rico and the United States

Caritas Puerto Rico showed its joy in hosting the Congress, in a country in which the welcome, generosity and strength of its inhabitants was highlighted. Its representative briefly related the reality of the country in the face of what he said was the important presence of Caritas, especially the parish Caritas, strong and animated in their mission of carrying the Church's message of mercy. A commitment to those in need that is reaffirmed and strengthened with this Congress.

The director of Catholic Charities of the United States, born and raised on the island, where he collaborated with local Cáritas, highlighting the work that Cáritas Puerto Rico is doing, a member of Cáritas Latin America and the Caribbean and at the same time from the United States, a large organization that serves more than 15 million people in the United States, which he considers fundamental work to help overcome hunger and marginalization to the people most in need. A Congress that helps create ties between North and South America for the benefit of the poor and marginalized of the continent.

A Latin American at the service of her people

For her part, Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, began by thanking her for the possibility of being present at the Congress. Cuda, who said she assumed her position in the Holy See to walk alongside the people of the continent, the land that saw her grow, called to embody the cry of the Earth and the poor, as stated in Laudato Si, and to assume the attitudes of Saint Francis and his determination to walk with the last. From there he invited us to walk together to contribute to the unity of the Church and the Latin American peoples.

Along with this, not be afraid to move forward, to initiate new processes in which the pastoral and economic aspects go in harmony, to promote dialogue and social friendship, also in the Church. This without forgetting the need to unite to save ourselves and strive so that the experiences of solidarity that grow from below converge, are more coordinated and find each other.

A congress in the field of synodality

Through the representative of the Dicastery of the Service for Integral Human Development, Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of said dicastery, said he saw this congress as a moment of grace where to take care of each other in order to be able to care, “because care is not abstract, it involves being subjects.” A congress held in the process of reform of the Church that encourages us to walk together, following the Second Vatican Council. According to its prefect, the purpose of the Dicastery is to help particular churches to act evangelically in situations of suffering that need transformation. For this, the need to listen to the territories and a synodal approach as a working method of a Dicastery with a circular process.

The cardinal highlighted the importance of the current Synod as a change of course in a world marked by division and polarization, insisting on not identifying synodality as a tool, but as what characterizes the way of being and living in the Church, in a symphony where each different instrument is fundamental to the melody. He also highlighted that in the Church it is necessary for someone to lower themselves to serve, speaking of the Church of the apron, the Church of that Jesus who placed himself at the service of all and leads charity, highlighting the fundamental role of women.

For the cardinal, synodality constitutes the whole of a people who knows how to gather differences, calling to put the poor back at the center of the Church's actions in its multiple and diverse actions, calling for the personal conversion that leads to abandon self-referentiality to listen and enter into the dynamics of synodality. This in a congress that he said he hoped would constitute an arsenal of hope.

Caritas Internationalis, a universal family

Amparo Alonso, representing Caritas Internationalis, recalled that this institution is a universal family, a global family that has great wealth, something that he called on the world to see through everything that Caritas carries out at all levels, from global to local, in each territory. Connecting the work from the global to the local and vice versa was defined as a fundamental element of the institution represented at the congress, remembering fraternity, synodality and solidarity as what has helped advance fraternal cooperation and inviting us to continue advancing together, alongside Pope Francis, who he defined as a great teacher who helps us listen, to work on new paths of fraternity.

Representing the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (Celam), Francisco Campos, coordinator of the Knowledge Management Center, defined the congress as a meeting to walk together, as a Church, insisting that for Celam articulation is key in view of promoting the encounter with Jesus Christ and making the merciful face of the Father present on the continent. From there I highlight the work of Cáritas, which beyond urgent help, is being able to sit next to, welcome, listen to and console those who suffer, in order to promote and integrate them into society. He also highlighted that participatory work must be a sign of unity in the Church to announce the Good News, denounce injustice and ensure that each person can exercise their dignity as sons and daughters of God.

Walking together with an inclusive and prophetic attitude

Finally, Bishop José Luis Azuaje, president of Cáritas Latin America and the Caribbean for the last 10 years, referred to the congress from his motto: "Synodality, solidarity, and fraternity. Together with the poor we renew hope", insisting on the with the poor, it is no longer for or for, something that he defined as a dynamic that the Holy Spirit is indicating to us. From there he stressed that "we want to continue walking together, with an inclusive and prophetic attitude", to strengthen ourselves in communion, sharing the destinies of the people in the field of fraternity, having the poor as subjects.

The Venezuelan archbishop made it clear that the work is not only in the field of ideals, but in the field of experiences. For this reason, he pointed out that we are facing a congress that wants to be a space of brotherhood in the field of spirituality and new practices, insisting on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit before our interests. A few words that ended with gratitude to the authorities and the Church of Puerto Rico, asking that “Saint Martín de Porres and Saint Óscar Arnulfo Romero, our patrons, accompany us.”

An opening of the XX Latin American and Caribbean Congress of Cáritas in which, after welcoming the different delegations, the reality of Puerto Rico was shown, and the participants learned about the agenda, methodology and logistics that will mark the work of the coming days. A day that ended with the Eucharistic celebration in the Church of San José presided over by Mons. Roberto González Nieves, local archbishop.