German Catholic Church spent $95 million on refugee aid last year
The Catholic Church in Germany spent €84.4 million ($95.7 million) on assistance for refugees last year, Hamburg Archbishop Stefan Hesse, the church's special commissioner for refugee issues, reported on Wednesday.
The money was spent by Germany's 27 Catholic dioceses, the military chaplaincy and the religious aid organizations, he said. The figure was similar to the €88 million spent in 2023.
"Even in difficult times, the church's engagement for refugees will not decline. Even when facing headwinds, we will remain steadfast at the side of those in need of protection," Hesse said.
Around 500,000 people had been reached through the church's work, he said, with a permanent staff of 5,480 and around 35,000 volunteers.
The church put at least €34 million into its work in Germany, including "welcome cafes" and orientation courses, while around €50 million went to its international work.
Hesse cautioned against the polarizing debate concerning refugees in Germany amid a continuing rise in support for the far right. "Authoritarian and extreme right-wing trends are on the rise, international obligations are being questioned, and multilateralism is in crisis," he said.
There was a tendency, not only in the United States, but in other Western countries as well, to ignore humanitarian needs, he said.
He put the number of refugees last year at 122 million people and drew attention to the conflict in Sudan, which was driving numbers up.
Hesse noted that many in Germany now saw migration as the greatest political problem. This had led to a polarizing debate instead of an attempt to find solutions, he said.
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