Ostalo
Catholic Caritas in times of peace and war
Mato Zovkić
Sažetak
On the occasion of the eightienth anniversary of Merhamet's foundation,
the author congratulates 80 years of fruitful activity of this Muslim
humanitarian organization and depicts catholic Caritas with its theological
justification and practical work at the level of universal and local Church.
a) The endurig foundation to catholic Caritas is Jesus' attitude toward
the poor ones of his time as well as New Testament data on early Church's
help for its poor members (cf. Lk 4,16-21; 6,20.24; Mt 25,31-46; 1 Cor 16,1-
4: Rom 15,25-27; Jas 2,1-4.4-17 etc).
b) Each diocese and parish all along the history of catholic Church in
different countries tried to help its poor and desabled members. Some
charismatic founders of religious congregations, like St. Vincent de Paul
(1580-1660), encouraged their fellow-religious to serve the needs of sick, poor
or uneducated persons in times when states were not yet able to organize
public health facilities nor education which would be available to the children
of poor parents. In 1924 Caritas internationalis was founded as a federation
of Church's diocesan and national Caritas organization. Its activities organize
humanitarian help for needy persons and regions in ordinary times, in times
of disasters and of war. They like coming on the spot to get an insight of
concrete people's needs in order to be able to motivate their possible
contributors in generous helping of their fellow humans.
c) The bishops of Banja Luka, Mostar and Sarajevo dioceses revived their
diocesan Caritas after democratic elections in 1990 (in time of socialist regime
any organized social activity was forbidden to Catholic church). During the
1991-1993 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina Caritas imported hundreds of tons of
food and medical supplies to Sarajevo and other war-stricken areas of Bosnia-
Herzegovina.
In conclusion, the author brings out an example of a Muslim lady in
Sarajevo who tried to help a desabled catholic vvoman in 1968 and forsees a
vast range of work for all humanitarian organizations in after war Bosnia-
Herzegovina, especially for those whose activity is motivated by their faith.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
52830
URI
Datum izdavanja:
21.12.1993.
Posjeta: 1.331 *