July 11, 2022
News
This year is a turning point for Caritas Czech Republic. It is celebrating one hundred years since its foundation, and can thus take pride in having the title of the oldest non-profit organization in the Czech Republic. At the same time, it is also the largest provider of health and social services in our country. And these are definitely valid reasons to organize celebrations and remember Caritas’ history and importance.
The series of celebrations on the occasion of this important anniversary, which will take place in the following months throughout the country, was opened with Carita’s press conference, which took place in the premises of the Augustinian monastery near the church of St. Thomas in Prague in Malá Strana district. The speakers were the chairman of the Czech Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Jan Graubner, and the director of Caritas Czech Republic, Lukáš Curylo. The journalists and guests were presented with the historical development and important milestones of this non-profit organization as well as the services it currently provides to people in need.
Helping people has always been the most important thing for Caritas, which is why this important anniversary’s title is For love for people. "It would be difficult to count the number of people in need, who are sick, desperate, on the run, those from whom their difficult life story took away all their hope and faith, to whom, during its century-long existence, Caritas was able to help and ignite a spark of hope for a better future," says Lukáš Curylo, the director of Caritas Czech Republic. "I am very proud of the entire organization, of the results it can boast of, and of the fact that, although it is bound by tradition it is not conservative, but it is open to new stimuli and challenges." The celebration will also include events organized by the archdiocesan, diocesan and regional charity.
Caritas Czech Republic
The organizer of Caritas Czech Republic is the Czech Bishops' Conference. Caritas enables the Catholic Church to fulfill one of its main missions – the service of diaconia, i.e. caring for the weak and needy. We provide help to everyone regardless of religion, race, nationality or national or political affiliation. We respect the rights and dignity of every person.
Caritas Czech Republic consists of two archdiocesan Charities (in Prague and Olomouc) and six diocesan Charities (in Brno, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové, Litoměřice, Ostrava-Opava and Pilsen). It also includes the Czech Catholic Charity and the Greek Catholic Charity. In addition, we are a member of the prestigious international organizations Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Europa.
Our clients can use help and support in the areas of:
- professional social counseling (e.g. civic counseling, debt counseling, counseling for people with disabilities, counseling for seniors, etc.),
- social care services (e.g. nursing service, personal assistance, respite care, day care centers, retirement homes, etc.),
- social prevention services (e.g. reception centers, telephone crisis counseling and intervention service, low-threshold centers, shelters, aftercare services, social rehabilitation, etc.),
- health care services (e.g. home health care, inpatient hospice care, mobile specialized palliative care, outpatient care, residential facilities, etc.),
- other services, such as charity’s closets, furniture warehouses, compensatory aid rentals, food and material aid, senior social clubs, educational centers, prisoners advice services or employment support services.
- More information about the anniversary can be found in the press release.
- Read also something about the historical development of the Caritas Czech Republic.