Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale398

the example of Jesus Christ. The Church prolongs Christ's saving mission in

time and space: she wishes to reach out to every human being, moved by a

concern that every individual come to know that nothing can separate us

from the love of Christ.4

Caritas Internationalis differs from other social agencies in that it is ec-

clesial; it shares in the mission of the Church. This is what the Popes have

always wanted and this is what your General Assembly is called forcefully to

re-affirm. It should be noted that Caritas Internationalis is basically made up

of the various national Caritas agencies. In comparison with many Church

institutions and associations devoted to charity, Caritas is distinctive; despite

the variety of canonical forms taken by the national agencies, all of them

offer an outstanding aid to Bishops in their pastoral exercise of charity. This

entails a particular ecclesial responsibility: that of letting oneself be guided

by the Church's Pastors. Since Caritas Internationalis has a universal profile

and is canonically a public juridical person, the Holy See is also responsible

for following its activity and exercising oversight to ensure that its humani-

tarian and charitable activity, and the content of its documents, are com-

pletely in accord with the Apostolic See and the Church's Magisterium, and

that it is administered in a competent and transparent manner. This distinc-

tive identity remains the strength of Caritas Internationalis, and is what

makes it uniquely effective.

I would also like to emphasize that your mission enables you to play an

important role on the international level. The experience you have garnered

in these years has taught you to be advocates within the international com-

munity of a sound anthropological vision, one nourished by Catholic teaching

and committed to defending the dignity of all human life. Without a trans-

cendent foundation, without a reference to God the Creator, without an

appreciation of our eternal destiny, we risk falling prey to harmful ideologies.

All that you say and do, the witness of your lives and activities, remains

important and contributes to the advancement of the integral good of the

human person. Caritas Internationalis is an organization charged with foster-

ing communion between the universal Church and the particular Churches, as

well as communion between all the faithful in the exercise of charity; at the

same time it is called to help bring the Church's message to political and

social life internationally. In the political sphere - and in all those areas

4 Cfr. Rom 8:35.