Caritas Network
Caritas Czech Republic comprises 274 local and 10 Archdiocesan or Diocesan organizations, including the Czech Catholic Caritas and the Greek Catholic Caritas. We are one of 160 members of the global Caritas Internationalis, and of the European Caritas Europa network with 49 members.
Basic organization data
Founder: Czech Bishops’ Conference
Statutory Body: Mgr. et Mgr. Lukáš Curylo, Director of Caritas Czech Republic
Legal status: Ecclesiastical legal person
Supreme authority: Board of Directors
President of Caritas Czech Republic: Mons. Pavel Posád
Secretariat of Caritas Czech Republic
The Secretariat is based in Prague. It is responsible for the coordination of activities at the national level and is engaged in health and social advocacy activities. It has a separate Department of Humanitarian Aid and Development Cooperation and operates a hotel and training centre, Marianeum.
Diocesan Caritas Organizations
They coordinate the activities of Caritas organizations in the territory of the bishoprics (dioceses), and provide some services. Of these eight Diocesan Caritas organizations, most are also engaged in the integration of foreign nationals and foreign aid. The backbone of the Caritas Czech Republic network is comprised of a total of 296 regional, municipal and parish Caritas organizations, whose main activity is the provision of social and health services.
Czech Catholic Caritas
This organization operates 10 homes for nuns and priests, where they can continue to live a full-fledged spiritual life in the community at a senior age, while receiving comprehensive care in line with their state of health. By financing these facilities, the government decided, in agreement with several ministries, to take responsibility for the nuns and clergy, who often worked in difficult working conditions under the previous regime, in institutions for mentally or physically handicapped people or in industry and agriculture.
Greek Catholic Caritas
This organization was established in 2008 by the Greek Catholic Church. It operates on a voluntary basis in Prague, České Budějovice, Liberec, and Olomouc.
Expert collegium
The expert platform of workers from the same areas is a unique tool for sharing good praxis, consulting and proposing new steps and also for finding mutual opinion. They roof the activities of diocesan Caritas and secretariat of the Caritas Czech Republic. There are nine expert collegia working on the nationwide level:
- Collegium of asylum centers for mothers with children in need
- Collegium of migration
- Collegium of counselling
- Collegium of socially activated services for families with children
- Collegium of social workers - methodologists
- Collegium of social projects
- Collegium of social services for homeless people
- Collegium of social services for seniors
- Medical Collegium