International organisations

Catholic International Associations,

Catholic International Organisations (CIOs),

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and their proximity networks

51. Over the past few decades a number of organisations — founded by volunteers — have come into being to join others in existence, to serve individuals and populations in difficulty. These international organisations are often known as Catholic International Associations, Catholic International Organisations (CIOs), and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). They are held in high repute thanks to their dynamism. These organizations have shown their courage in promoting the integral development of people living in poverty and in responding to emergency situations (famine and drought in this particular instance). They have experience in drawing attention to desperate situations, marshalling private and public resources and organising relief in the field. Most of them have supplemented their battle against hunger across the years by embarking on a more forward-looking longer-term activity to foster development. Their most evidentsuccesses include projects for new initiatives implemented locally and autonomously, and projects designed to strengthen local communities and institutions.

The Catholic Church has always (even long before NGOs first came into existence as such) encouraged, inspired and coordinated these efforts and these resources through countless parish, diocesan, national and international associations, and through large networks(⁷⁵).

We wish to pay tribute here to the work of all the International Organisations, whether they are directly Christian-inspired(⁷⁶) or whether they are religious or secular in inspiration.