Caritas celebrates its anniversaries amongst the farmers of Labuan Bajo

The 75th anniversary of Caritas Internationalis and the 20th anniversary of the solidarity foundation promoted by the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference were marked on the island of Flores with a Mass and a gathering presided over by Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi. In the spirit of the encyclical “Laudato Si’”, the gathering brought together local farmers involved in the Harvest Programme, which aims to build independent and sustainable communities.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The Diocese of Labuan Bajo, on the island of Flores where there is a strong Catholic presence, recently hosted the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of Caritas Internationalis and the 20th anniversary of the Karina KWI Foundation, the Indonesian Caritas. The event was attended by Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, Archbishop of Tokyo and President of Caritas Internationalis; the President of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), Bishop Antonius Bunjamin Subianto; and the Bishop of the host diocese of Labuan Bajo, Bishop Max Regus. This particular local Church was chosen as the venue for the celebration because it represents a region rich in natural beauty yet simultaneously grappling with ecological and social challenges that require collective attention.

Caritas Internationalis is the official humanitarian confederation of the Catholic Church, based in Rome, comprising 162 national Caritas organisations worldwide operating in 200 countries and territories. A Mass of thanksgiving for his ministry was held at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Labuan Bajo, attended by numerous members of the Council of Representatives of Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Asia, from various countries. “Caritas does not simply mean love, but also the love of God,” said Cardinal Kikuchi in his homily. “Pope Benedict XVI emphasised this in the encyclical Deus Caritas est.” The Archbishop of Tokyo highlighted that the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the sacraments and serve those most in need springs from the encounter with Jesus Christ – three interconnected and inseparable dimensions. “Our mission is to help build a just world that reflects the Kingdom of God, where all people experience love, compassion and a life of dignity,” said Cardinal Kikuchi.

He added that Caritas exists to listen to every person, understand their needs and respond with compassion and love. “Often, through Caritas, the Church expresses this love in a tangible way. Caritas accompanies refugee families, supports farmers, cares for children, ensures access to essential services and helps communities rebuild their lives,” he explained. In many places, therefore, the Church, through Caritas, becomes a source of hope, stability and dignity for communities. Finally, quoting Leo XIV’s apostolic letter Dilexi Te, he emphasised how Christ’s love is always personal: it draws near, listens and accompanies. This spirit, he concluded, must guide the work of Caritas as the Church’s charitable institution, uniting humanity and professionalism.

Together with Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Indonesia also gave thanks for 20 years of humanitarian service since its foundation on 17 May 2006. Over these two decades, it has been involved in numerous humanitarian interventions, from the 2004 Aceh tsunami disaster to the floods in the Diocese of Sibolga, North Sumatra, in 2025. It is currently active in 38 dioceses across the country.

The president of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, expressed gratitude that Indonesia had been chosen to host the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Caritas Internationalis. “May this expression of gratitude become a spirit that inspires and strengthens even greater works as a concrete expression of Christ’s commandment to love one another, especially the poor and the marginalised,” he said. He also recalled Pope Francis’ message that serving the poor is a special grace.

Before the Thanksgiving Mass, participants visited a community accompanied by Caritas of the Diocese of Labuan Bajo at the Parish of St Teresa of Calcutta in Datak. They met local farmers involved in the Harvest Programme, which aims to build independent and innovative farming communities through training in organic farming, the production of local microorganisms (MOL), organic fertilisers and natural pesticides. This initiative reflects how Caritas’ humanitarian work in Indonesia consistently integrates the message of ‘integral ecology’ from Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls on the Church to listen to ‘the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’.