Caritas Timor-Leste received a visit from the Secretary-General of Caritas Internationalis, Mr. Alistair Chad Dutton, on 13-14 May 2026. The objective of this visit was to learn more about Caritas Timor-Leste and its organizational development progress. The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss important priorities that Caritas Timor-Leste needs to define before becoming a member of Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Australia, through its Country Manager in Timor-Leste, Mr. Fernando Pires, provided great support for this visit. During the visit, Mr. Alistair, accompanied by the Director of Caritas Timor-Leste, Fr. Mario de Carvalho Soares, and the National Head of Caritas Australia in Timor-Leste, also met with the President of the Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Virgil do Carmo da Silva, SDB. At this meeting, Mr. Alistair Chad Dutton stated that this visit is very important as it allows him to see first-hand the progress of Caritas Timor-Leste's service and how Caritas Timor-Leste works in conjunction with the Diocesan Caritas organizations of Dili, Baucau, and Maliana. In a meeting with the President of the Timorese Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Virgil do Carmo da Silva SDB, in his office in Lecidere, Dili, the President of the CET presented to the Secretary-General of Caritas Internationalis, Mr. Alistair Dutton, a brief history of the creation of Caritas Timor-Leste. Before the creation of Caritas Timor-Leste, there were already the Diocesan Caritas organizations of Dili, Baucau, and Maliana, which provided assistance services to vulnerable communities and victims of natural disasters and calamities in Timor-Leste. In 2024, CET created Caritas Timor-Leste to become a hub for the three Diocesan Caritas organizations, in order to further strengthen humanitarian social assistance services to communities, especially the most vulnerable and those affected by catastrophes and climate change in Timor-Leste. Through Caritas Timor-Leste, it is possible to establish better links with other national solidarity institutions and with Caritas Internationalis itself.
At this meeting, the Secretary-General of Caritas Internationalis thanked Caritas Timor-Leste for receiving his visit and thanked the President of the Timorese Episcopal Conference for making his time available to meet with him, even if only for an hour. Mr. Alistair Dutton, in his capacity as Secretary-General of Caritas Internationalis, requested that the Timorese Episcopal Conference closely monitor Caritas Timor-Leste in order to work better with the Diocesan Caritas organizations in Timor-Leste. Caritas Timor-Leste and the Diocesan Caritas organizations have an interdependent relationship to be closer to vulnerable communities. Together, the Diocesan Caritas organizations can further strengthen Caritas Timor-Leste as a Catholic Church organization serving humanitarian assistance in Timor-Leste. Caritas Internationalis hopes that, by May 2027, Caritas Timor-Leste can become a full member of Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Timor-Leste thanks Caritas Internationalis for the opportunity to personally visit Caritas Timor-Leste and to closely follow the work of Caritas Timor-Leste, especially regarding collaboration with the Diocesan Caritas; Dili, Baucau and Maliana. Caritas Timor-Leste also thanks Caritas Australia for the opportunity to work together with Caritas Timor-Leste on jointly designed programs and for the excellent support provided during the visit of the CI Secretary-General to Timor-Leste.
The Secretary General of CI, Mr. Alistair Dutton, also had the opportunity to visit the office of Caritas Diocesan of Dili. Caritas Diocesan of Dili presented the programs they are implementing in cooperation with Caritas Australia and the World Bank. Mr. Alistair, in turn, encouraged Caritas Diocesan of Dili to collaborate well with Caritas Timor-Leste to become a good social institution of the Catholic Church in the service of humanitarian assistance in Timor-Leste.
Fr. Mario de Carvalho Soares
Director of Caritas Timor-Leste,
CARITAS TIMOR-LESTE RECEIVED VISIT FROM THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF CARITAS INTERNATIONALIS
