"Walking together as a Network" was the motto of the 62nd National Meeting of the Cáritas Network in Peru, which took place on October 16 and 17 at the Santiago Apóstol Spirituality House in Barranco, Lima.

The objective of this meeting was to visualize the importance of working together as a Network to walk in communion with the Church, taking into account the mission and synodality.

The opening of the meeting was led by Bishop Reinaldo Nann, president of Cáritas del Perú, who welcomed all participants and urged them to evaluate the work they have been doing in favor of the most vulnerable populations in the country.

Participated were representatives and general secretaries of the 49 Diocesan Caritas that are distributed throughout the national territory, as well as Bishop Jorge Izaguirre Rafael, Bishop of the Prelature of Chuquibamba, Mons. Gerardo Zerdin, Bishop Vicar Apostolic of San Ramón, Mons. Augusto Martin Quijano Rodríguez, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Pucallpa and Mons. José Javier Travieso Martin, Bishop of San José del Amazonas.

Among the topics that were developed were: why is it important to communicate?, risk management disasters, the importance of raising resources, among others.

As a special guest was Nicolás Meyer, Regional Coordinator of Cáritas of Latin America and the Caribbean with the theme "The work of Cáritas: Mission and Communion", where he made known where our identity comes from, highlighting that

“Cáritas is not an NGO, nor a cooperation agency, nor only people of good will. We encourage and we coordinate the organized charity of the Church, which walks synodally in its differences and tensions, but stubbornly believing in fraternity. Our actions are a sign and testimony that another world, just and fraternal, is possible. of the poor”, organized by the Peruvian Episcopal Conference with the support of Cáritas del Perú, which aims to improve living conditions and provide social assistance to parish soup kitchens, communal soup kitchens, care centers, shelters and shelters, in coordination with the Diocesan Cáritas that are distributed throughout the national territory.

With the economic funds that are managed to be raised, comprehensive human development projects will be financed for the works of the Catholic Church and the Diocesan Caritas that serve the most vulnerable populations throughout the country. The collection will take place from October 15 to November 30, 2023, with the central date being November 19, the day of the VII World Day of the Poor.

At the end of the National Meeting, a mass was held presided over by Bishop Reinaldo Nann, together with the invited Bishops, priests and deacons, motivating everyone to continue working in the Network at the service of the most vulnerable populations in the country.

Collaboration by Karla Auza