Prologue

C atholic Charities USA and its member agencies, as institutions sponsored by the Catholic Church, are leaders in the United States of America in the provision of social
welfare services to hundreds of thousands of families and individuals each year. Catholic Charities USA, in concert with Caritas Internationalis, 1 is committed to providing quality social services, advocating for just structures in society and working to convene the Catholic community, along with all people of good will, to provide help and create hope.

The Gospels tell us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God, with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and that the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Letter of James likewise admonishes believers that we must not only be “hearers of the Word, but doers.” It is the mission of Catholic Charities 2 to live out that call to be “doers of the Word,” particularly in the love of neighbor. Clearly, Catholic Charities continues the mission of the Church to bring Good News to the world, with special attention to the needs and hopes of persons, families and communities that are poor, vulnerable and disenfranchised.

The Social Mission of the Church is the foundation of the Catholic Charities Movement
and the establishment and development of its member agencies. The goals and activities of Catholic Charities, therefore, are consonant with the Social Mission of the Church as reflected in the Scriptures, the papal encyclicals and other relevant documents, particularly the decrees of the Second Vatican Council, as well as other statements, such as those of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops relevant to social justice and the policy statements of Catholic Charities USA.

An organizational code of ethics provides a vehicle for such reflection, and the Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics has served that purpose for both the national organization and its member agencies. This revised Code of Ethics for Catholic Charities USA and its members, based upon the 1983 publication, continues this reflection in light of Catholic social teaching and the broader Catholic moral tradition.

This Organizational Code of Ethics, adopted by the Board of Trustees of Catholic
Charities USA on September 12, 2007, is provided for adoption and implementation by
all its member agencies.

1 Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations working to build a
better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories.
2 The term Catholic Charities is used here and throughout the remainder of this document to refer to both Catholic Charities
USA and its member agencies.