Caritas Ghana is calling for stronger involvement of Catholic parishes in charitable and humanitarian activities as part of efforts to strengthen the Church’s response to the needs of poor and marginalised communities.
The call forms part of the organisation’s maiden Caritas Week Celebration, scheduled for November 8 to 15, 2026, which seeks to encourage Catholics and Church institutions to make charity a shared responsibility.
The initiative places emphasis on the role of local communities in identifying the needs of vulnerable persons and responding to them through practical acts of service and solidarity.
Under the proposed activities for the celebration, parishes are expected to engage their members in activities such as visiting the sick and elderly, supporting people in need, community clean-ups and other forms of community service.
The Caritas Week communications programme also encourages Parish Caritas Committees to work with parish priests, Church societies and youth groups to coordinate local activities and encourage wider participation.
Caritas Ghana believes that charitable service should not be left to the national organisation alone but should involve individuals and communities at every level of the Church.
The approach reflects the principle of subsidiarity, which emphasises the importance of empowering communities to participate in decisions and actions that affect their lives.
Caritas Week will be observed across Archdioceses, Dioceses, parishes and Catholic institutions throughout Ghana, culminating in Caritas Sunday on November 15.
The celebration is being held under the theme, “The Lord is the refuge of the poor” (cf. Psalm 14:6), with the campaign line, “A refuge for the poor: love in action.”
By Celestine Edem Gbologah
