Moving on: The 1970s

René Banera at campamento Peñalolen where he lives. Residents have set up a committee to lobby for funding for local services [Kate Stanworth]

1970

CAFOD supports the promise made by the world's richest nations to fund development programmes with 0.7% of their gross national incomes - a pledge which later forms the basis of the Millennium Development Goals

1971

Two important documents are issued by the Vatican affecting CAFOD's work. The first, A Call to Action, emphasises grassroots action and highlights urbanisation as a growing problem.

The second, Justice in the World, encourages civic participations, and highlights environmentalism.

1972

By the time it was just ten years old, CAFOD was helping to fund 245 self-help projects in 40 countries.

In March 1972, the first CAFOD Journal was produced to introduce parishes in England and Wales to the work of CAFOD.

1973

The full-time office staff of eight was helping Friday groups to form in parishes.

A Friday group is made up of people who regularly give up something they need and donate the money saved to CAFOD.

1974

By now the small office, based in an old house in Kinnerton Street, was no longer big enough to contain all of CAFOD's activities.

The basement of St Patrick's Church at 21a Soho Square became CAFOD's home for the next eight years.

1975

The Bishops called for more practical support for CAFOD.

Since 1961, lay organisations such as the Union of Catholic Mothers and the Catholic Women's League had been helping with distributing literature and collecting money, especially for the Family Fast Day.

1976

CAFOD received its largest grant yet from the UK government for its human rights work in Chile. The £250,000 supports the Catholic church there as protection and support for victims of the military dictatorship.

1977

In the autumn of this year, Cardinal Hume dedicated the organisation to St Stephen.

St Stephen was the first Deacon ordained by St Peter. His job was to help the poor and widowed and to make sure they had a fair share of the wealth of the early Christian community.

1978

Pope Paul VI received a birthday present of £3,500 from readers of one of the Catholic newspapers. He immediately donated it to CAFOD.

This was the first year that CAFOD became involved in the ecumenical venture of One World Week - a development education programme of the churches.

1979

CAFOD's first education campaign focused on the Philippines and was launched in four dioceses.

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