NEWS
& ACTIVITIES OF LOCAL CARITAS GROUPS
CARITAS SYROS
The volunteers of Caritas Syros, because Caritas Syros only offers
her services to the needy with volunteers, attempted yet another
year to respond in the best and most productive way possible, to
the requests of our fellow men and women with many different needs.
The members of the three work groups (gardening, clothing and bazaar)
offered relief in every way to the best of their ability, to each
form of need, to those who came knocking at the door of Caritas
at parish level or throughout Syros , and even further afield.
The preparation and dispatch of clothing to different destinations
(prisons, to the Humana People to People organization, to individuals,
to the Caritas Athens Refugee programme etc,) and the distribution
of clothing, household items, furniture etc. to many people in Syros
not only helped the recipients but gave moral satisfaction to all
the members of the clothing group, their only recompense.
The members of the gardening group were very happy, together with
the producers, because the harvest and dispatch of garden produce
lightened the financial burden of many families and institutions
in and out of Syros , and especially because the meals offered by
Caritas and other agents were enriched with the different products.
Our farmers in spite of the damage they incurred or the non-sale
of their products, generously donated their various garden products
to help the above recipients.
The same sentiments were typical of the members of the bazaar team,
who with those who prepared various objects in their houses, with
the Bazaar enriched the funds of Caritas Syros which in turn is
able to help many different people financially.
Finally I’ll mention the very many services of the members of the
Parish Caritas groups, who in the parish or our local Church help
their fellow men and women in their different ways within the framework
of their capabilities.
Together with the above I must mention the Caritas support members
(about 300 people) who with their monthly “4 euros “ contribute
to the meals offered daily to the refugees in Athens.
Caritas Manna donates 2 cases of food monthly for the families of
prisoners in Korydallos.
Concluding this account I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone.
We are nor perfect, we cannot satisfy all needs, there are deficiencies
etc, but the good will and generosity of everyone help to benefit
of the “little brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Fr Anthony Voutsinos
President of Caritas Syros
CARITAS NAXOS
The small Caritas Naxos “ St Roccos” group responds very actively
to the many problems which present themselves.
During the past year we helped many of our fellow men and women.
More specifically Caritas Naxos gave financial help to :
1) a paraplegic
child, an orphan living with his grandmother in Athens
2) a family of Albanians with many children
3) solitary foreign individuals in need ( for food and a contribution
to rents )
We also collected clothing and food which we sent to the Philippines
and to Albania.
We contributed to the collection organized by Caritas Hellas and
collected a useful amount for the earthquake victims of Pakistan.
Finally some state agencies asked Caritas Naxos for help with money,
clothing and medicines.
Caritas Naxos is small but always ready to help people who ask for
aid and to give support where it is needed.
Fr Emmanuel Remoundos
Parish Priest
CARITAS
CRETE
Caritas Crete have reorganized and created a blood donation sector
under the name of Caritas of the Catholic Church of Crete. Already
the first bottles of blood have been collected. They are few but
we hope gradually to increase our stock.
We have also started collecting food which we distribute in small
quantities to local poor families, and we hope to increase the numbers
of families we help.
For some time our parish priest has organized the collection of
second-hand clothes in very good condition which are distributed
via the parishes to people in need.
In conclusion on 28/12/2005 we organized a party for small children
in a parish hall in Irakleion and with the support of many parishioners
we helped those children to enjoy a beautiful Christmas party with
different presents and games.
Katerina Maseli
For Caritas Crete
CARITAS TINOS
Caritas Tinos
which is interested in those in need on the island of Mytilini and
in some, situations helps Caritas Chios as well, without fanfare
and with simplicity and much love, helps all those in need of a
warm gesture, which while it may not solve the problems, bears witness
to Christian love. Our concerns:
1. We collect clothes and once a week we distribute them to those
who want new clothes (in excellent condition). The recipients are
mainly economic migrants. This year, for the first time, we saw
a migrant from Africa. We are impressed by the solidarity amongst
migrants. Quite often they show interest in their absent fellow
countrymen. At intervals we also send clothing to Athens, to the
sisters Missionaries of Charity (of Mother Theresa).
2. Often there are illegal immigrants on the island. Caritas visits
them and apart from items of immediate necessity offers them kind
words in the hour they become refugees. In the last 10 years we
have helped 10 of these, some over a long period.
3.We have offered gardening tools and other useful items to the
“foreigners’” camp at Vrisi.
4. During festivals and at other times, with the participation of
many people and priests we have visited the Old People’s Home of
the island where apart from our companionship we have given them
useful presents for their personal use.
5. We remain open to the needs of lonely people with visits mainly
of the Sisters of Mercy and with the collaboration of the institution
“ Treatment at home” we offer them every possible help, such as
medical examinations and conveyance of medication to people who
are unable to travel to the Health Centre or the town pharmacies.
6.More than occasionally people living in Mytilini have financial
and other problems. This year we gave financial help to a number
of people who were in particularly difficult situations.
7.Caritas Tinos stands shoulder to shoulder financially and ethically
with Caritas Chios, mainly in their work with prisoners in the prisons
there. Thus this year, during the Christmas and New Year holidays
we gave over 60 useful Christmas presents and phone cards. It should
be noted that there are a number of Catholics amongst the prisoners,
not only foreigners but also Greeks. Because of this, Msgr. Nikolaos,
our Archbishop, and the responsible parish priest of Chios Fr Ricardo,
very often celebrate Holy Mass in the prisons. It should also be
noted that following the request of the prison Director we offered
a lot of books for the prison library. We appeal for people to donate
books, not only in Greek, to send them for us to convey there.
We pray for God’s strength for those concerned with this work and
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for our many other coworkers.
Father Antonios Fonsos
Caritas Tinos (Chios and Mytilini)
Refugees
and illegal immigrants or migrants in the Cyclades
The Cyclades generally accept migrants particularly Albanians. The
men come first and after they find work they summon their wives
and children. Their brothers and sisters often come. The men work
in construction and the women in seasonal work or as cleaners in
houses.
The Cyclades also accept many women from Eastern countries like
Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia and Georgia. These
work as live-in domestics by choice, looking after old people who
may or may not be ill.
Greek legislation obliges them to have social security and to obtain
work and residence permits for our country.
Refugees and illegal immigrants mainly from Iran, Iraq and Turkey
risk their lives to reach the shores of our islands. As soon as
they are noticed the Police intervene and keep them under constant
guard until the procedures concerning them take place and they are
sent to Athens.
Caritas stores clothing and distributes it free of charge to people
in need.
Often items of immediate necessity are offered to the illegal immigrants
who are held under police supervision.
In exceptional circumstances Caritas offers financial help.
The Church offers pastoral care here for catechesis to Albanian
Catholics or to those who come from Catholic families and from time
to time calls priests from Albania for their spiritual needs, as
also the Sisters “Missionaries of Charity” of Mother Teresa of Albania
who stay in Athens and come to the islands for a length of time.
The children of the Albanians study in the primary and secondary
schools together with the Greek children, as also in the catechism
classes of our Church.
Sr
Lucia
Sister of Mercy
CARITAS ATHENS
1) THE POOR in OUR PARISHES From the very start of Caritas Athens
it was considered appropriate for the POOR and NEEDY ( Greek speaking
and other) to remain in the parish community, since both the parish
priest and the parish committee could give more personal care and
material help to these brothers and sisters in need.
2) Blood Donation Sector The sector for practical love. Caritas
arranges blood donation sessions in schools and parishes. The results
have been positive. It would be good for other schools and parishes
as well to do the same since the need for blood continually increases.
3) Sector for the elderly Two excursions were organized for the
elderly and one formal lunch. We visited and organized entertainment
at two old people’s homes of the diocese.
4) Sector for prisons Visits to men’s and women’s prisons. Moral,
spiritual and financial support for the prisoners and their families.
Distribution of food donated by Caritas Manna Syros to the families
of prisoners.
5) Sector for the sponsorship of the needy elderly A substantial
amount was accumulated from donations which was shared between the
Good Samaritan and the Timios Stavros Elderly’ Homes.
6) Animation Sector
a) Meetings were arranged for the members and volunteers for spiritual
preparation for Christmas and Easter.
b) In November there was a seminar for members and volunteers on
the topic of sin.
The speaker was Fr Sotiris Mavrofidis.
c) On 3 November Solemn High Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop
in honour of St Martin de Porres, patron of Caritas.
7) Event Sector The annual event for developing relationships and
fund-raising took place.
8) Sector for support of the Refugee programme Caritas Athens raised
the awareness of the parish Caritas groups, monasteries and schools
concerning this cause and collected food, clothing, blankets and
money. Substantial aid was offered as the needs are enormous.
9) Aid Money was given to people in need for their living expenses,
for health related problems and for their repatriation.
According to the encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” published by Pope
Benedict 16th this year, almsgiving is not a gift of charity but
a duty of the charitable organisations of our church.
From
Caritas Athens Board
CARITAS
ATHENS REFUGEE PROGRAMME
REGISTERED CHARITY NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION
The Caritas Athens Refuge Programme continues to serve refugees
and unemployed migrants on a daily basis at Kapodistriou 52, Platia
Vathis.
With a permanent staff of five (including an experienced social
worker) and with the help of at least fifty volunteers, we serve
over 200 full hot meals a day, distribute food parcels to about
100 poor families monthly, distribute clothes twice a week and offer
a counseling service to refugees and unemployed migrants, irrespective
of gender, race, language, nationality and religious or political
conviction.
The social contribution of the Catholic Church in the Athens region,
through the institution of the Caritas Athens Refugee Programme
is especially important.
It is recognized by the Greek Public sector, by institutions and
organizations and by many private individuals who help the organization
with the donation of money, goods or their voluntary work.
The Refugee Programme, in spite of the valuable contribution of
the parishes of Athens, schools and companies would be unable to
maintain and extend her activities without the contribution of the
volunteers, who on a daily or regular basis, without personal gain
and often at their own expense, offer their personal services for
the relief and support of hundreds of socially excluded fellow human
beings.
We would particularly like to thank all those whose contribution
has allowed the Programme to continue and appeal to all those who
could offer a little of their time to help the work and support
of the refugees and migrants who ask us for aid.
We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of the new
composition of the Caritas Athens Refugee Programme Management Committee,
who are all volunteers, as follows:
Mr Nikos Voutsinos, President
Ms Nikoletta Delatolla, Vice President
Ms Begonia Calliga, Secretary
Mr Peter Andriotis, Treasurer
Ms Laura Panayotou, Member
Management Committee
Caritas Athens Refugee Programme
CARITAS
DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Pastoral programme for Migrants and Refugees in Greece
Greece, for the last 20years at least, has been a transit country
for people and groups of many nationalities from the Near and Far
East. Thus it is a country of immigration. Concerning the Exarchate
for Greek Catholics we deal with Christians of all the Eastern Catholic
Churches. More specifically:
-Refugees from Iraq (Chaldean)
-Migrants from Ukraine, Romania, Albania (majority Greek Catholics)
1.Refugees from Iraq
They are not recognized by the United Nations as refugees. Moreover
they are migrants-people who leave their country in search of work.
Consequently they are economic migrants.
To their way of thinking there are two basic reasons which drove
them to leave their country: the continuous wars and the hostility
of the Islamic fanatics. They are real refugees then.
They all left Iraq illegally, since they sold their property, paying
high prices for the passage from one country to another. Badly treated,
undernourished, and ill they are obliged to cross mountain, seas
and rivers, and dropped off somewhere with nothing. Many die before
reaching a country that will receive them.
As soon as they reach Greek territory they are protected by the
political authorities and cared for by Greek families who provide
them with clothing, shelter and food.
Caritas is not present at their arrival. It’s not possible to be
everywhere, given that the borders of Greece are extensive and irregular.
The Greek authorities, for reasons of security, keep them in refugee
camps for three months, and afterwards give them leave to stay until
the judicial authorities give them stay and work permits.
A law that was passed recently forbids all discrimination against
persons on grounds of religion, nationality or language. Thus they
can remain in Greece undisturbed and free.
From time to time the embassy of the Democracy of Iraq in Greece
summons the Iraqis to be provided with a legal passport.
From our side, we have organized a parish for the Chaldeans according
to Eastern Canon Law after the application of their Patriarch and
with the permission of the Holy See.
We have changed our religious schedules so they can have their own
hour of prayer, Liturgies, and the Sacraments of Baptism and Marriage.
All this is organized at the parish of the Holy Trinity.
Regarding social support, we provide them with help for treatment
at Greek hospitals.
To respecting their individuality, instead of obliging them to put
out their hands and beg, we created a common Fund with their active
contribution. Every family subscribed an amount of 1.000 drachmas
a month and in this way we covered a substantial part of their medical
expenses. Thus during the last two years of the functioning of the
Fund, we spent 15,000.0000 drachmas for medical treatment out of
the 17,000.000 drachmas of the Fund.
Meanwhile, however, those people who became economically independent
by their work and who had social security (IKA), ceased to pay their
monthly contributions to the Fund. The poorest who needed care remained.
Without revenues, we were forced to close the Fund. Now the Parish
Priest looks after them in special cases.
This year we have organized Greek language classes for those foreigners
wishing to learn Greek. Four young Greek teachers teach twice a
week. And since these young people have to live we ask the students
to pay 20 euros a month for their teachers’ reimbursement. At this
moment there are 52 adult students. The children already attend
Greek primary schools.
The chief help we offer them is the opportunity to use our parish
building. Thus they have halls for their meetings, for their parties,
their mourning, lessons for the youth, their catechism and their
Parish offices. Since they have many children these offices are
occupied almost every day.
In addition in summer they have the summer holiday building of the
Exarchate at Kamena Vourla at their disposal. Two periods of camping
are organized, each one ten days in duration. To date the Exarchate
and the Parish cover all expenses. We hope some day that they are
able to become self-sufficient.
Concerning the number of Chaldean Christians, at least 50.000 people
have passed through our parish in the last 20 years. For these,
Greece is a transit country. They prefer Australia, the United States,
and Canada. Many remain in Europe, but illegally.
Up to now Australia has accepted most of them. According to the
understanding of their Parish Priest the Chaldeans living in Greece
today number between 5000 and 6000.
2.Ukrainians
For people from the Ukraine things are different. For a start they
are not refugees but economic migrants. The majority are women sine
they find work easily, mainly caring for elderly people. As they
work as in house employees they don’t have expenses for food and
board and so their salary remains intact to help their husband and
children who stay in the Ukraine. We have met only a few case who
needed social assistance. Most of them can cover their medical expenses
themselves.
For mothers, the care of their children during working hours presents
a problem. A lady who represents a private Ukrainian company has
organized a school precisely for this need. To assist them we have
we have allotted them rooms of the building of the Fathers’ Community,
which were used as the Students’ Centre in the past. Thus, every
day about fifty children spend their day here, where they are cared
for by three Ukranian teachers. Last September the Ukrainian ambassador
to Greece and the Ukranian Minister of Education who was in Athens
visited the children and expressed their satisfaction with the work
being done. We accept the children who remain in Athens during the
summer at the camping with our own children at Kamena Vourla. These
children contribute to the expenses equally with our own children.
Many Ukrainians
have a day’s rest on Sunday to attend mass. At mid-day we make a
room available, where they can eat, have discussions, sing and enjoy
themselves.
From the pastoral
perspective we called in a Ukrainian priest who lives in our Community
so that we have ensured their religious care. We h assigned the
crypt of our Church for this purpose which has been altered into
a church for the celebration of their services. At least 200 Ukrainians
participate in the Sunday Liturgy and sing together.
Its very interesting to see how each nation brings their national
traditions with them. The Ukrainians organize lots of celebrations
parties or invite dance groups from their mother country and have
fun-filled evenings. On Holy Saturday each one brings a plate with
delicacies from their country which are blessed by the priest and
eaten on Easter Sunday.
3.Romanians
Thousands of Romanians live in Greece but only a few tens of them
come to our parish. The presence of a Romanian priest attracts them
to attend the Sunday Holy Mass. We also have weddings and baptisms.
Their children have acquired the habit of taking communion every
Sunday and join the catechism classes with the Greek children. We
owe it to them to confess that to their credit they are really faithful
believers.
From the point of view of social welfare to date they have not asked
for anything, given that they live and work honourably.
4.Albanians
There are not many in our parish, only certain couples who arranged
their weddings in the Church and baptized their children after they
were themselves baptized.
From the social welfare perspective they haven’t asked for anything
to date.
5.Our contribution of buildings
The Exarchate, from the start offered her buildings for the use
of Caritas.
Already before the World War the Exarchos George Chalavazis, collaborated
with Caritas Internationalis which helped his work. He participated
in the meetings and councils of Caritas and actively contributed
to their organization.
During the course of the war, conditions led him to found the Divine
Providence Centre whose most intensive project was the Pammakaristos
hospital.
He also founded two centres for students and workers in collaboration
with Sister Eleni Kapar. After the war the Institute for the Child
was founded at Nea Makri, with the collaboration of Sister Marina
Koumandou. Moreover all the Sisters of the Pammakaristos Monastery
work for the smooth running of these projects.
Regarding the Refugee Programme, we collaborate closely offering
food and contributing to the expenses as far as we are able.
Today the Exarchate has allocated the building at 52, Kapodistriou
street to Caritas, for the needs of her activities. The building
belongs to the order of the Sisters of Pammakaristos who gladly
offered it.
Caritas Divine Providence collaborates with other Caritas groups
to visit foreign prisoners. Our volunteer visitors, apart from food,
cigarettes and first aid items, offer the prisoners moral support
during their court cases.
Fr Stephanos Marangos
Vice President of Caritas Divine Providence
