Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb was established on 20 October 1933 by the Archbishop of Zagreb, Monsignor Antun Bauer. His goal was to unify charitable initiatives within the Archdiocese of Zagreb into organized charitable work. Archbishop Bauer entrusted the care of Caritas to Alojzije Stepinac, who also became the editor of the KARITAS informational newsletter. Charitable activities within the Archdiocese flourished with the support of Archbishop Stepinac, who wholeheartedly advocated for providing charitable assistance to those in need. He made a significant contribution to the care and treatment of war orphans in 1942 and 1943.
In March 1946, the communist regime banned the operations of Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, confiscating all its assets and transferring them to the Red Cross. In 1947, the director of Caritas, Dr. Vilim Nuk, was sentenced to six years of forced labor in prison. Cardinal Franjo Šeper revived charitable work in the Archdiocese of Zagreb in 1967 and entrusted the work of Caritas to Jelena Brajša. To avoid another ban on its activities, Zagreb Caritas joined the office of international Caritas and operated under the name Caritas Internationalis.
A significant turning point for the future direction of Zagreb Caritas occurred in 1969 when an abandoned newborn was found at the doorstep of Caritas. Following that, Caritas has been providing assistance to abandoned children, mothers and pregnant women, impoverished families, and individuals with disabilities since the early 1970s. In 1990, Cardinal Franjo Kuharić, the Archbishop of Zagreb, issued a Decree establishing the Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb along with a temporary Statute. He also decided that the official name of Caritas would be Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb.
The historical significance of Caritas of the Archdiocese of Zagreb is immeasurable, as it played a crucial role not only during World War II and the communist era but also throughout the Croatian Homeland War, providing care and support to hundreds of thousands of war victims. The humanitarian aid that arrived from around the world was distributed by Caritas to those in need, including through parish Caritas organizations that were being established throughout the Archdiocese.
In the 1990s, Caritas established homes for children without proper parental care, for underage pregnant girls and mothers, persons with disabilities and the elderly. It also initiated numerous assistance programs that reached tens of thousands of beneficiaries. Caritas also organizes various trainings and seminars for employees and volunteers who assist in parishes and counseling centers, as well as seminars for foster parents of children and adults. These activities aim to raise public awareness about the needs of the beneficiaries and promote solidarity and love put to action.
Aware of the new challenges and needs faced by Caritas and desiring to further embed charitable actions in the life of the Church in Zagreb, the Archbishop of Zagreb, Cardinal Josip Bozanić, adopted a new Statute in 2006. The leadership of Caritas was entrusted to the current director, Sister Jelena Lončar. The years that followed brought about a reorganization of Caritas' work, restructuring of its activities, expansion of services and the introduction of new standards of care for beneficiaries.
Today, Zagreb Caritas, with its developed network of services and activities, enjoys the trust of numerous benefactors and volunteers who are the strength behind our charitable work. Countless testimonies of assistance provided to individuals and families are the building blocks of the mosaic created over the past ninety years.
Sister Jelena Lončar
director of Caritas of the Archdiocese of
Zagreb
