News

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of a remarkable individual yesterday. Mrs. Irmgard Rösch, a cherished friend and one of Caritas's longest-standing and most dedicated supporters, passed away on July 15th at the age of 90. Her multifaceted social work and tireless dedication to charitable causes have left an indelible mark on many lives.

The diocesan Caritas of Oradea was the only Catholic organization invited to the four-day conference organized by the CPOE, which unites Dutch aid organizations supporting Eastern Europe, last week in Cluj. We participated together with our Dutch sponsors from Stichting Oost Europa, Boskoop.

Bishop Jeffrey Monforton, Chairman of the American Catholic Bishops' Conference (USCCB) Subcommittee on Central and Eastern European Support, and Jennifer Healy, director of the Subcommittee, visited the headquarters of Caritas Catolica as part of their visit to the Diocese of Oradea on Monday, June 3.

Why did a bunch of Dutch high schoolers pick Oradea over Barcelona, Lisbon, and Prague for their school trip? Instead of sightseeing, they chose to lend a helping hand to local orphans and people in need. Their teacher, Mr. Bernard Hoving, had the answer: "The other places are great for tourism, something they can do anytime. But in Romania, they get to experience something priceless with Caritas Catolica. Volunteering builds character while bringing joy to others. Last year's participants shared amazing stories, inspiring many more to join this year."

The directors and heads of departments of Caritas Catolica Oradea Association presented an account of the achievements and challenges of the past year in the presence of diocesan bishop László Böcskei during the general assembly held on Thursday, March 21 in Saint Joseph Center.

Caritas Catolica Oradea has been running an Emergency Winter Aid Program for 4 years in a row with the support of the Stichting Oost Europa Boskoop (SOEB) Foundation from the Netherlands. The aim of the three-part program is to ease the lives of those in need during the cold season, which is always a serious challenge for the underprivileged. The Catholic aid organization has a successful winter aid program behind it again this year.

The February meeting of the Alzheimer's Café self-help circle was held on Tuesday at the headquarters of Caritas Catolica. The aim of the series is to create opportunities for dialogue between family members caring for mentally degraded patients and elderly care professionals through regular gatherings. This month's guest speaker of the event was Zita Varga, a specialist nurse from Caritas Home Care Service, who has been working in this field for 20 years.

In a heartening return after a three-year hiatus, the spirited squad from Beaulieu Convent School in Jersey, UK, recently graced Oradea, Romania with their altruistic presence. A dynamic group of 12 students, guided by three dedicated teachers, immersed themselves in a week-long volunteering spree with the Caritas Catolica Association. During the eventful week, they visited home-care patients, distributed food parcels to the poor, and organized fun activities for underprivileged children.

Year after year, a group of retired Dutch ladies bring smiles to the faces of children in Bihor County (Romania) with beautiful, hand-knitted children's clothes.

It is with deep sorrow and a profound sense of loss that Caritas Catolica announces the passing of Mr. Peter van der Ven, a dedicated supporter and philanthropist from the Netherlands, who departed from this world last week. Pastor Jozsef Rajna has dedicated today’s holy mass to Peter’s memory. Together with his wife, Betty, Mr. Peter van der Ven has been an integral part of our Caritas family, tirelessly contributing to our mission of compassion and care for the less fortunate in Romania.