CAFOD
CAFODThe official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales. is a Catholic agency that works to promote stewardship The duty of human beings to care for the world and maintain balance in nature. and global citizenship The idea that we should see ourselves as part of a world community. . CAFOD, which stands for Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, works to educate people on the problems facing the world today, eg
- climate change
- poverty
- disease
- lack of water
- injustice
- war
Through education they aim to tackle the way that people live and act in order to make them more aware of the issues that surround them.
CAFOD’s work is based on the belief that people are all global neighbours. Gaudium et SpesHistorical document on the Catholic Church's teachings. states that:
God intended the earth with everything contained in it for the use of all human beings and peoples… goods should be in abundance for all in like manner.
This belief influences all of CAFOD’s work and their aims. By understanding that everyone is a global neighbour, CAFOD believes that people should work together towards a common goal, namely a better world that is fit for generations to come.
One of the most recent campaigns carried out by CAFOD is Care for the Common Home. This campaign is based on Pope Francis’ encyclicalA letter or document issued by the Pope., Laudato SiThe name given to the second encyclical (letter) of Pope Francis, in which he calls on people to take action against global warming and environmental irresponsibility., which tells Catholics to respond to both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor
.
The encyclical and the campaign fight for both the physical world and the human world. The campaign focuses on:
- climate change
- deforestation
- pollution
- poverty
- famine
- injustice
Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.
CAFOD’s motto ‘Just one world’ reflects their aim and goal. CAFOD aims to unite all of humanity and stop injustice and inequality. This aim mirrors the words of the Bible:
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
This passage teaches that all humans should be treated equally and with respect.
Educating about global citizenship is also a key element. The modern world is increasingly global, and with the introduction of the internet and social media, people can be in contact across the world. Ensuring all humans have basic human rights is a duty of all Catholics and all should work to ensure these rights are received.
