Renovabis

Renovabis is an organized as a registered association 's Fund of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany to strengthen churches and societies in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Renovabis support pastoral, social and community projects in the former socialist countries. The seat of Renovabis is the former Prince Bishop's Residence in Freising. The name refers to Psalm 104, 30: Renovabis faciem terrae "You shall renew the face of the earth ." General Manager of the Jesuit Father Stefan Renovabis Dartmann, appointed by the German Catholic bishops for the period 1 November 2010 to 31 October 2015, which directors are Gerhard Albert and Burkhard Haneke.

Generally

Since 1993 Renovabis helped people in 29 countries in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in the realization of some 19,100 projects with a total of over 560 million Euro (February 2013). The funds go to church- pastoral, social and charitable organizations, including in education and media projects. This is the principle to help themselves at the center.

Specifically means of Renovabis be used, for example, - where necessary - to build churches and community centers to equip families, women's and youth centers to maintain homes for orphans and street children and to train priests, religious and lay people working in pastoral care. In addition, funds for church school programs and teacher training, study grants and young journalists be granted promotion.

Formation

As a " solidarity action of the German Catholics with the people of Central and Eastern Europe" Renovabis was launched in March 1993 by the German Bishops' Conference ( DBK ) to life. The excitation to the founding of Renovabis gave the Central Committee of German Catholics ( ZdK ). The action should, it is said in the founding texts, " an answer to the German Catholics on the social and religious fresh start in the states of the former Eastern Bloc after the collapse of the communist systems " be. On May 2, 1993 Renovabis stood in front of the German public for the first time.

Areas of activity

The work of Renovabis is based on two pillars: Project work and promoting universal Church East-West partnership initiatives. The most important criterion in project work is "helping people to help themselves." It is a condition that promoters and population participate by material or personal self sufficient performance on the project. Promoting a project can only be obtained if it remains viable after subsidy without further help. Responsibility and qualifications of the support are therefore essential prerequisites for the commitment of Renovabis.

To check on the progress of funded support reports on the use of funds will be required. Where necessary to Renovabis informed locally about the development and implementation of a project and consulted experts and our own consultants. For all these tasks, that no new dependencies arise through the promotion of projects, but the approach " help themselves " to be consistently maintained.

The other important work area of Renovabis is to promote exchange, dialogue and partnership between East and West. These partnerships between parishes and other ecclesial world East-West partnership initiatives are encouraged and supported. The exchange of experience and information are annually organized meetings and conferences attended by Eastern European groups from all over Germany as well as guests from the Central and Eastern European partner countries.

Renovabis has launched a foundation whose mission is to support the work of solidarity action durable and lasting.

Financing

The revenue amounted in 2012 more than 35 million euros. They originate mainly from church budget, public or corporate funds, donations and collections. Renovabis carries the DZI seal. The annual budget of Renovabis for projects was in 2012 26.5 million euros and the number of funded projects is annually at about 800 The Renovabis budget draws from church tax funds from which - given the concerns of Renovabis - Whit collection, donations, bequests and inheritances as well as from public funds.

Partnerships

The solidarity action Renovabis initiated and supported many hundreds of partnerships between East and West and thus promotes exchange of experience, human relations and mutual learning. With more than 1,800 partnership groups Renovabis communicates. With its mostly volunteer work, these groups build bridges of understanding living to the people in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe who live in diverse traditions and have a rich spiritual heritage.