By Patrick Hansda
New Delhi, Feb 23, 2026: Rahul (name changed) was overjoyed when he received a motorized wheelchair from Caritas India.
“Earlier, I had to depend on others to move even short distances. Now. I can travel on my own. I feel free,” said the 32-year-old daily wager, who is paralyzed from waist down.
Rahul was among five people, including a woman, with restricted mobility who received wheelchairs on February 22 at a function at New Delhi’s Sacred Heart Cathedral complex where Caritas India launched its Lenten campaign 2026.
The wheelchairs were provided by banks as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Rahul, the father of four from Shasthri Park in East Delhi, said his disability had restricted his ability to accept work in different locations in the national capital. “I can now take up small jobs and earn to support my family,” he told the gathering.
Rahul’s “testimony stands as a living sign of dignity restored through collective compassion,” said Caritas India executive director Father R Jesudass.
He said the wheelchair distribution was the culmination of last year’s Lenten campaign named Chetana (awareness) that focused on supporting persons with disability.
He thanked those who supported last year’s campaign, which he termed as “a visible sign of the Church’s solidarity with Persons with Disabilities and their inclusion.”
This year’s campaign poster was unveiled by CBCI secretary general Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto of Delhi.
The Caritas India director said that through this year’s campaign his organization urges Catholics to act with courage and conviction to build peace, defend dignity and protect the planet.
The campaign theme, he added, “confronts three urgent realities shaping current times – fractured relationships, deepening inequality, and escalating ecological distress.”
Father Jesudass said the campaign affirms that peace is not abstract but something that begins in the human heart, grows within families and communities and extends to responsible stewardship of the earth.
“When social tensions intensify, water scarcity sharpens division, and the poorest are pushed further to the margins, Caritas India calls for an integrated response that unites faith with decisive action,” he explained.
The campaign urges parishes to organize peace circles that foster dialogue and listening. It encourages families to practice weekly gestures of solidarity and calls institutions to undertake green audits and adopt responsible water, waste, and energy practices.
Further, the campaign invites the youth to lead eco drives and peace pledges that rebuild trust. Parish Caritas units across the country are challenged to embed peacebuilding and environmental responsibility within parish life, turning Lenten sacrifice into sustained commitment.
“Compassion defines Christian discipleship,” the Caritas India director asserted.
Caritas India administrator Father Julian Fernando said their last year’s campaign reached out to more than 10,500 people across India and beyond through awareness, solidarity, and direct support. “Major initiatives across Delhi, Jharkhand, Kerala, Lucknow and Odisha strengthened inclusion, early identification, assistive support, and livelihood access,” he added.
He acknowledged partners such as the Federal Bank and the South Indian Bank for supporting the distribution of advanced motorized wheelchairs. The Chetana campaign will continue this year with stronger advocacy and expanded outreach, he added.