The Vatican believes that its top aid agency, Caritas
Internationalis, needs new leadership to build a stronger Catholic
identity within the organization, said Cardinal Robert Sarah, who
oversees the agency’s work as president as president of the Pontifical
Council Cor Unum.
The Rome-based Caritas recently announced that the Vatican would not
permit its current secretary general, Lesley-Anne Knight, to run for
re-election to the position this May.
Cardinal Sarah explained the Vatican’s reasons during the course of a
Feb. 22 press conference to release the Pope's annual Lenten message.
Cardinal Sarah told journalists, "we must recognize the work
accomplished by Mrs. Knight, but for today's new challenges we need
someone else."
He added that it is "normal that for new challenges other
people are chosen that the confederation presents."
Caritas officials issued a statement Feb. 18 expressing satisfaction
with Knight’s performance and dismay at the Vatican’s decision.
Cardinal Sarah said, however: "I think that each of us has limits. We can be competent in
organizing but lack some qualities for coordinating work or for
reinforcing the Catholic identity," Cardinal Sarah said concerning
Knight’s qualifications.
The British Catholic weekly, reported Feb. 18 there had been
communications miscues between then-president of "Cor Unum," German
Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, and Caritas when organizing a response to
the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.
An unnamed official from one of the 165 Caritas locations worldwide
told the British Catholic weekly, The Tablet that Knight ruffled
feathers as she has been “critical of the Vatican machine, has made no
secret of it and has failed to be discreet.”