What we do

Read our latest news, media releases and stories. Check out our regular publications for more details.

Caritas responds to emergencies around the world, including in Aotearoa New Zealand. We aim to save lives, reduce suffering, uphold human dignity, and meet people's basic needs – regardless of ethnicity, religion or nationality.

Caritas promotes authentic human development. This means development of the whole person. It provides for their economic, cultural, political, social and spiritual wellbeing.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand speaks out for justice to influence attitudes and create change at national, regional, and global levels.

Caritas helps teachers and students consider questions of social justice, peace and development - and to act justly in a global world.

We work with indigenous communities both locally and globally. In Aotearoa New Zealand, our tangata whenua programme includes work in the areas of advocacy, development and education with several Māori communities.

We publish the Caritas State of the Environment for Oceania report each 4 October on the Feast of St Francis. Associated stories, video, comment and analysis are available online here. The work is carried out in close cooperation with other Caritas members and our partners on the ground in Oceania.

"...let us embrace all those fleeing from war and hunger, or forced by discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homelands."

- Pope Francis for the 51st World Day of Peace