In 1970
Pope Paul VI dissolved the Italian Pontificia Opera Missionaria (POA, Pontifical Missionary Work), a charity that had been supported by American Roman Catholics and which reported directly to the
Apostolic See. It had managed charity work in Italy during the two World Wars and in the early postwar period. On 14 November 1970, at the seventh General Assembly of the
Episcopal Conference of Italy (C.E.I.) the papal recommendations were approved. With decree number 1727/71 of 2 July 1971, the C.E.I. approved the first statute of the diocesan Caritas of Italy, in charge of the Church's charitable and relief activities. On 28 September 1972, the first national meeting of the diocesan Caritas was held. Three years later,
Naples hosted the first national meeting between Church and lay people whose title was "Volunteering and human promotion", dedicated to the arising questions of the socalled
Third Sector. On 10 June 1977, and the
Italian Ministry of Defence signed an agreement which added the former Pontificia Opera Missionaria to the list of entities where
conscientious objectors could perform their civil service. The list was public and available at military districts. In 2021, almost 1.5 million interventions were provided, and the organisation's listening centers gave support to 227,566 people (7.7% more than the previous year). ==References==