About Us

Rev. Francesco Lerda, PIME assumed the position of President of Caritas - Hong Kong

Rev. Francesco Lerda, PIME was born on 22 May 1926 in Cuneo, Italy. While attending Mass as a child, he was deeply impressed by the holy priests. Their friendly attitude of towards parishioners filled him with awe. Later, due to the turmoil of war in Europe, he made the courageous decision to join a local monastery. Ordained in Milan in 1951, he was assigned to serve in Hong Kong in 1955. In 1960, Rev. Lerda joined the Catholic Social Welfare Conference. In 1968, he succeeded Msgr. Vath as the President, serving in that position until his passing in June 2003.

Establishment of the first kindergarten

Caritas opened its first kindergarten, Caritas St. Francis Kindergarten, in Caine Road. In the same year, Caritas established “St. Godfrey Day Nursery” in Aberdeen (later renamed “Caritas Fong Shu Chuen Day Nursery and St. Caritas Godfrey Kindergarten”) and “Caritas Tak Sing Kindergarten" in Kwai Chung (later renamed “Caritas Kwai Chung Kindergarten”).

Establishment of Refugee Service to provide support to Vietnamese refugees

As the Vietnam War escalated and intensified, the international community's assistance to Vietnamese refugees expanded from providing humanitarian aid to helping them resettle and start new lives abroad. In response to the call of Catholic Relief Services, Caritas established a Refugee Service team to assist Vietnamese refugees. In the same year, Caritas also took over the management of the refugee camp for the first time, operating the Kai Tak East Transit Centre.

Establishment of Caritas Bianchi Lodge

Caritas Bianchi Lodge provided services to travellers at an affordable prices. The Lodge also served as a training ground for students of Caritas vocational schools.

Establishment of services for pre-school children with special needs

With funding from the Education Bureau, Caritas established the Caritas Lok Yan School at Caritas Medical Centre. Turning some of the mental retardation wards into classrooms, the school catered to children with severe intellectual disabilities who required long-term hospitalisation.

Launch of the 2-year Assistant Nurse Programme

In late 1983, the shortage of nurses was critical. To meet the need, Caritas Medical Centre's School of General Nursing launched a 2-year Assistant Nurse (now Enrolled Nurse) Programme to equip students with basic nursing skills.

Establishment of Caritas Francis Hsu College

In 1985, Caritas Francis Hsu College was founded, with its campus located at 11 Caine Road.

In 1990, the College obtained approval from the Hong Kong Government to offer post-secondary education.

Incorporation of Canossa Hospital and Precious Blood Hospital into Caritas

In 1991, the Canossian Daughters of Charity entrusted Caritas to manage Canossa Hospital, which was renamed as Canossa Hospital (Caritas). In 1993, Precious Blood Hospital also became part of the Caritas family.

Establishment of “Friends of Caritas”

“Friends of Caritas” is a group of dedicated volunteers who share Caritas' mission and beliefs. They continuously provide professional advice to Caritas on its services and operations.

They also actively organise various fundraising activities, such as “Caritas Charity TV Show”. Together they help increase the general public's understanding of Caritas, as well as encourage the community's participation in and support for Caritas' manifold services.

Establishment of Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre

Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre was the first family crisis support centre in Hong Kong back in 2001. Its goal is to enhance the problem-solving abilities of service users and intervene early through professional counselling. By providing one-stop counselling support and live-in service, it aims to prevent the escalation of crises.

Establishment of Caritas Information Technology Advancement Centre

Caritas Information Technology Advancement Centre (CITAC) provides comprehensive information technology services to Caritas. It has developed numerous IT systems, such as the Campus Information System (eCIS) for Caritas Institute of Community Education, the elderly centre management system (eCare), the rehabilitation service management system (eCRSMS) and the hospitality service online booking system (ebooking).