Immediately after liberation in 1945, Archbishop Sapieha established a national Caritas headquarters, in accordance with the resolution of the Polish Episcopal Conference.
In the context of large-scale destruction and huge shortages and needs, the Catholic Church joined in providing all kinds of help to the population.
On 12 January 1950, at a meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party, a plan was adopted to completely liquidate the Caritas organisation in Poland, under the pretext of embezzlement of funds.
In the 21st century, Caritas Poland and its diocesan structures operate over 1,000 centres specialised in social assistance and in the field of medical and educational care.
[8] In addition to its coordination and educational functions, the national office plays an operational role by leading nationwide fundraising initiatives both domestically and internationally.
Caritas Poland organises humanitarian transports and provides emergency and long-term assistance, offering material, psychological, legal, and financial aid to various vulnerable groups such as the unemployed, homeless persons, the sick, the elderly, children from struggling families, immigrants, and refugees.
[1] In addition, Caritas Poland provided support abroad in 33 countries on four continents at a level of more than 63 million złoty.