Founded in 1946 by Father Jean Rodhain, a pillar of Christian charity, the association now faces a dual crisis: economic instability and erosion of its spiritual identity.
Newsroom (17/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a historic shift, Secours Catholique, France’s storied Catholic charity, is grappling with a social plan that threatens 130 jobs—nearly 14% of its 932-strong workforce. The announcement, detailed in an October 16 article by La Croix, marks a first in the organization’s nearly 80-year history. Founded in 1946 by Father Jean Rodhain as a pillar of Christian charity, the association, supported by 60,000 volunteers, now faces a dual crisis: economic instability and a profound erosion of its spiritual identity.
The numbers paint a grim picture. Secours Catholique has posted deficits in 11 of the past 16 years, including a €5 million shortfall in 2022. While public donations remain its primary revenue source, they are dwindling, eroded by an aging donor base and growing distrust in the organization’s management. Meanwhile, expenses have ballooned, driven by costly investments in properties in Lourdes and Jerusalem, reliance on private restructuring firms, and the upkeep of an expensive Parisian headquarters. Critics argue that these choices reflect a drift toward technocratic excess, far removed from the evangelical simplicity that once defined the organization.
Compounding these economic woes is a deeper spiritual malaise. A January 2025 report from France’s Court of Auditors urged Secours Catholique to “frame its religious dimension” to comply with the nation’s laws on secularism, a directive tied to the €13 million in annual public subsidies the organization receives. In response, management has increasingly distanced itself from explicit Christian references, prioritizing secular ideals like inclusion, social justice, and ecological transformation over the Gospel and Jesus Christ. The result is an institutional identity that resembles a generic NGO, collaborating with politically aligned groups and adopting the language of bureaucracy over faith.
This shift has alienated donors, who increasingly question the organization’s direction. “Catholic donors want clarity, a return to the spirit of the Gospel,” said one observer close to the organization, speaking anonymously. “They don’t want a charity that doubles as a political force.”
Historically, Secours Catholique was an extension of the Church, founded under the Assembly of Cardinals and Bishops of France and rooted in Catholic social doctrine. Yet, starting in 2026, a significant governance change will sever this tie: decisions at general assemblies will no longer require the approval of bishop-appointed members. Framed as a nod to legal compliance, this move signals a definitive rupture: Secours Catholique no longer speaks for the Church.
The fallout is undeniable. The organization’s loss of ecclesial grounding has deepened its crisis of meaning and trust. While sympathy is due to the employees facing layoffs—many of whom have dedicated their careers to serving the poorest—the crisis demands a broader reckoning. Secours Catholique’s path to recovery lies not in chasing secular legitimacy or bureaucratic efficiency but in reclaiming its founding mission: to serve the poor in the name of Christ.
Without this return to its spiritual roots, the organization risks further exhaustion—both financial and moral. As it stands, Secours Catholique is at a crossroads. To restore donor confidence and public credibility, it must rediscover the Christian charity that once made it a beacon of hope, as its founders envisioned nearly eight decades ago.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Tribune Chretienne
Related Images:
