Osservatorio Romano Saturday October 4, 2008 reported that Catholic and Catholic-inspired NGOs are stepping up cooperation to make a more profound impact on world affairs. In 2007, the Forum of International Catholic inspired Associations came into being as an effort to identify the strengths and expertise of partner organizations and explore ways to collaborate more effectively in defending human life, dignity and human rights in the public sphere.
Johan Ketelers chair of the Forum’s Working Group in an interview told Osservatorio Romano “It is part of the responsibility of the catholic-inspired NGOs to contribute to a better and more just world and all have been engaged for many years in the various fields of action combating poverty, defending human, dignity and the rights of the human person. […]
“The catholic inspired NGO’s according to Mr Ketelers have been active in a vast panorama of activities and work fields which inevitably results in what may at first sight appear to be a heterogeneous group. Dialogue, coordination and exchange of information will always be essential in our work as organizations but the wide scope of issues covered by all of these organizations define the vast and challenging character of this ambitious process. The fact that all of these organizations share the same goals of defending human dignity and human rights and that they all agree on exploring paths to integrate as much as possible the social teachings of the Church in order to contribute to a more just world is probably more relevant than the seeming heterogeneity of the group".
According to Mr Ketelers, “there is an urgent need to develop ways that better respond to an ever moving and globalizing world in which many more different partners are playing coordinating roles. Responsibility -for the standpoints taken, and accountability- to the catholic identity, are key words to be renewed”.
