Caritas-Hong Kong held its Insight Union Camp (ISU) from April 26 to 28 on this topic: Moving towards 70th anniversary: challenges and changes. The camp was a tremendous chance to study the history of Caritas and to identify the challenges and changes of the new era, as clearly mentioned during our sharing and different inputs. Holding this event was also an opportunity for us to salute the work of our founders and ask for God’s abundant blessings as we prepare to celebrate our 70th anniversary, and move into a new 70 years and beyond.
Reflecting on challenges and changes gave us a chance to explore areas such as knowledge sharing and work plans, innovative and effective use of information technology services, human resources and risk management, as part of the Caritas approach to continuous learning.
These topics were important in situating ourselves in Hong Kong’s future position, role and strategy, and how our organisation can becom more effecting in rebuilding our knowledge and wisdom in delivering appropriate services to the community.
By starting each day with a Mass, we wanted this event to focus more on what is essential to us: the presence of Jesus, who calls us to serve him among the lost, the least and the last of our brothers and sisters. However, the spirit of Mass must be felt in our daily life!
The Caritas story is part of our human history and, as it goes with all stories, it is made of ups and downs, of challenges and joys
The Caritas story is part of our human history and, as it goes with all stories, it is made of ups and downs, of challenges and joys.
The past decades saw Caritas going through a series of challenges and adjustments to the changing realities of the time; the organisation has seen people dealing with famine and isolation, psychological breakdowns and family realities that could fill books if I venture to enumerate and elaborate on some of them.
But it has also witnessed moments of joy where an elderly person could feel cared for, students rejoicing at being part of a system that valourises them, the sick and the abandoned who enjoyed the human touch provided by our staff and volunteers.
Furthermore, a supporting cast of donors, who shared their resources with those who do not have, needs to be mentioned here. There are always reasons for which to be grateful!
Listening to the different interventions, it was clear to me that it is a risk to enter into a new era without the will to first update oneself. This aggiornamento [updating] is a key to constant improvement that benefits both the individual and the organisation.
The focus Caritas puts on staff engagement, [digital] leadership and continuous learning helped me understand that engaged employees are likely to stay in the job longer than those unengaged. It creates also an atmosphere that promotes better teamwork and productivity, and also facilitates a better connection between the staff and our service users, because happy and joyful employees are able to make happy clients thanks to their smile, their positive attitude and the ability to communicate with love.
An organisation that serves joyfully will enjoy a better reputation based on the performance of their employees. A leadership that invests in its staff cares for the future. And by investment I do not only mean the financial aspect of this matter, but more deeply the time we give to listening and accompanying the staff.
Unity too is an important element for an organisation to maintain its mission. A beautiful passage caught my attention as I was journeying through the pages of this year’s ISU Camp book. It says: “unity is a source of strength. It is what has enabled Caritas-Hong Kong to sail over numerous hurdles, and to move forward. In our new journey, staff members and the Management should hold firmly our vision, mission and values with one heart.”
…unity is a source of strength. It is what has enabled Caritas-Hong Kong to sail over numerous hurdles, and to move forward. In our new journey, staff members and the Management should hold firmly our vision, mission and values with one heart
This sentence made me immediately think of the motto of my religious institute, the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary [CICM], that says: “One Heart, One soul.” It is only when we see each other like one body that we will not hurt ourselves, for he who likes his body will not destroy it. On the contrary, he takes care of it, protects it and looks only for what is able to maintain it in good shape. A reading from 1 Corinthians 12:12 could enlighten our minds and hearts on this very aspect.
At Caritas, “CCC” stands for “Caritas Coordinators’ Committee”, a body of senior officers that meets once a month to share on important issues related to our different responsibilities. Looking at this CCC acronym however, made me think that the ultimate goal of this camp is an effective transformation that is, above of all, a matter of the heart rather than just job performance.
I personally believe that a transformed heart will turn us into my new definition of CCC: a “Catholic Caring Community” that brings the love of Christ to others, including ourselves. This is what changes lives, for formation without transformation has no impact on the community.
This transformation will help us “to care for humanity, not only for human beings, for humanity includes ecology,” as suggested by Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, in his concluding remarks.
Yes there are challenges and changes, but I add also chances for the future. I thank Caritas for this ISU initiative.
Father Dominique Mukonda, CICM
Assistant Chief Executive,
Caritas-Hong Kong
