The CARF Foundation was established on February 14, 1989. A few years earlier, in 1984, St. John Paul II encouraged Blessed Alvaro del Portillo to found the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, to promote an intellectual, human and spiritual formation of excellence for seminarians and diocesan priests and religious men and women from any country in the world, without their economic capacity being an impediment.
Since 1951, work had already been carried out in the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarra.
Blessed Alvaro del Portillo had a deep concern for the formation of priests, a concern that had been picked up from St. JosemarĆa EscrivĆ”. He followed an initiative of St. John Paul II in promoting the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, and gave impetus to the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Navarre in Pamplona.
All this necessitated the construction of international schools and residences for seminarians and priests, as a necessary complement to their academic formation.Ā
The financial cost of studies and residences were not and are not affordable for the seminarians and priests of many dioceses in the world.
Blessed Alvaro, aware of these needs, also encouraged the establishment of the CARF Foundation, which is indispensable for providing the financial aid that makes the studies of so many people possible.
At the CARF Foundation we defend human values, inspired by the Social Doctrine of the Church. We support the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations of 1948.
For this reason, we make special mention of freedom and equality; religious freedom; life and dialogue with the world; a life of piety; respect for charisms and differences; fidelity to the magisterium of the Pope; international coexistence; freedom of opinion and expression and, above all, the right to education.
Our hallmarks are from:
This Foundation contributes financially so that priests and seminarians from all over the world receive a solid theological, human and spiritual preparation.
The formation of priests was present in the apostolic and priestly zeal of the founder of Opus Dei, St. JosemarĆa EscrivĆ” de Balaguer. His successor, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, made this desire a reality by initiating in 1984 the activity of what is now the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, under the inspiration and impulse of St. John Paul II.
The CARF Foundation is a private cultural foundation of promotion with charitable character. It is recognized by the Ministry of Culture, according to Ministerial Order of 22.5.1989, published in the BOE of 13.06.1989, registered under number 140 with CIF: G-79059218.
