WelCom February/March 2025
Mena Antonio, CEO, Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
Nau mai, Haere Mai.
It is a pleasure tinged with sadness that I write in the final issue of WelCom. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand and the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Wellington and the Diocese of Palmerston North have had a strong relationship over many years and we will be sad to see this newspaper go.
The departure of WelCom is one of many developments among the light and hope, that have made this past year difficult. Change is gruelling and constant, and the last year has been full of challenges; and we know more is to come.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand continues its mission of bringing hope, guided by Catholic social teachings – promoting social justice and upholding the dignity of all people, especially the vulnerable and those facing poverty.
Challenging times for aid agencies
But we live in testing times. New Zealand’s economic recession has led to hardship and suffering and – understandably – a downturn in donations across the sector, as well as a government that is keen on austerity. It remains to be seen if this austerity stretches to New Zealand’s foreign aid budget. Caritas’ donor base continues to shrink as Catholics in New Zealand age and decline in number. This is happening against a backdrop of increasing hostility to international aid – as seen most dramatically this month with the US government shutting down USAID for 90 days. This action has already resulted in disruption for our sister agency Catholic Relief Services, and will cause suffering for millions of the world’s poorest people.
Here in the Pacific, this could not be worse timing. Our region faces the complexity of climate change and its effects – rising sea levels resulting in soil and water salination, increased cyclone damage, flooding, food insecurity, and of course – as we have discussed in WelCom before – unsustainable climate debt. Currently, countries such as Fiji and Samoa allocate around 15 per cent of government revenue to debt servicing, which is more than they spend on health or education. This financial burden leaves little room for these nations to invest in climate resilience or long-term development.
Conflict and humanitarian crises
We also saw the devastating consequences of conflict in the Holy Land. Although a ceasefire had been declared at the time of writing [10 February 2025], at least 46,000 Palestinians and hundreds of humanitarian workers – including some Caritas colleagues – lost their lives in the conflict, with entire neighbourhoods now reduced to rubble. The challenge of rebuilding that region, and for those impacted to rebuild their lives, is immense and the future of the region is uncertain, given recent political developments.
And the Gaza conflict was not unique. We saw people’s inhumanity towards others in multiple places, with conflicts in Democratic Republic of the Congo Myanmar, Syria and Ukraine, to name a few.
Despite these obstacles, Caritas has remained steadfast in its mission to support the most vulnerable communities through advocacy, development, and humanitarian aid. We are on the ground before, during and after disaster strikes.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Hope in action
In seven countries across the Pacific and Southeast Asia, our development programmes continued to help local communities with assistance as diverse as agricultural training in Fiji to health and nutrition training to counter climate change in Kiribati. In 2024, 154,000 people benefitted from long-term development initiatives thanks to Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand.
Advocating for fairness in New Zealand
Our advocacy work has increased with renewed energy. We were proud to be one of dozens of organisations that stood alongside our Justice and Peace Committee against the proposed changes to te Tiriti and called for public submissions on the issue on the issue, resulting in hundreds of thousands of Kiwis having their say. Our online templates helped our supporters to place submissions to Parliament on the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. We are working to change the laws related to human trafficking, we advocated on behalf of victims of the conflict in the Holy Land, and are embarking on a global campaign this year called Together We, part of Caritas Internationalis efforts to end unfair debt.
We were also instrumental in helping to establish the Oceania Migrant and Refugee Network with our allies from Australia and the Pacific. The network is working to combat forced migration due to climate change and to ensure pastoral care is provided to migrants enrolled in New Zealand and Australia’s seasonal labour mobility schemes.
Support for the Holy Land
As the humanitarian community scrambles to meet overwhelming needs in Gaza in response to the ceasefire, we have sent an additional $70,000 to support rebuilding and recovery efforts in the region. Kiwis have now contributed more than $240,000 worth of humanitarian assistance through our organisation. More than 46,000 people in Gaza and the West Bank have now received assistance through Caritas’ support, which has included healthcare, emergency relief, cash assistance, and mental health aid. We also facilitated aid to Ukraine through our partner and sister agencies. Altogether, in 2024, 414,000 people received emergency assistance from Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand across the globe in times of crisis.
Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic social teaching permeates all of our work, be it advocacy, development, humanitarian work or education. In fact, our engagement with Catholic schools continues to draw great feedback, and our team is excited to be in front of students again. If we want a world of peace and love we must make sure our young people are advocates for social justice – especially for the poor and vulnerable. It may seem like fun, but Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand supported activities – like uniform-free days or the Caritas Challenge – have a serious message rooted in Christ’s love. This year, more than 400 students at Holy Trinity School in Papua New Guinea will benefit from new classroom equipment thanks to the uniform-free efforts of Kiwi kids – and the 2024 Caritas Challenge raised approximately $28,000 for Caritas. Some 39,000 Kiwi school childrenparticipated in Caritas-led activities last year.
The world is changing fast. It seems like it is in constant flux. We are adapting to these challenges as best we can – guided by the wisdom of Catholic social teaching.
Despite the challenges, we are strengthening our mission, building partnerships, and finding innovative ways to serve communities in need.
Looking ahead to 2025 – the Jubilee Year
I share the words of Pope Francis as we enter what is likely to be another turbulent 12 months.
‘We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us; and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope.’
In this time of flux, it is even more important we stand in our mission to give preferential option to the poor and vulnerable, to care for the environment and to take courageous action when there is pressure instead for NGOs to tow the line. We will amplify our language of Catholic social teaching, and we will endeavor to be the light of the way of Jesus.
Caritas expresses deep gratitude to its supporters, including many who have read about us in this newspaper over the years – and the team at WelCom who have always made this mission possible and real. Our volunteer board and committee members provide the necessary oversight in a highly regulated environment, and we are grateful for the devotion of the New Zealand bishops for their support. We are blessed to be of service to you.