This morning, the Standing Commission of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) appointed Luis Ayala Cañón, a professor of economics, as the new president of Caritas Spain. The appointment was made at the recommendation of the bishops of the Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral Care and Human Development.
With this appointment, the new president will also take on the leadership of the Foundation FOESSA (Promotion of Social Studies and Applied Sociology).
«I view this responsibility as a service.»
Following the announcement of his appointment, Luis Ayala expressed his deep gratitude for the trust placed in him by the bishops and the General Council of Caritas.
«I accept this role with a great sense of responsibility and, above all, as a service to the diocesan Caritas organizations, the general services, the Episcopal Conference, and society at large,» he said.
The president-elect has emphasized his commitment to working toward the empowerment of the most vulnerable people and the defense of their rights, expressing his appreciation for the support of the organization’s network of people: «I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work […] alongside so many people who are capable of weaving hope and serving as a transformative force in our society.».
An expert in combating exclusion
Born in Madrid in 1966, Luis Ayala Cañón holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the Complutense University of Madrid and is a professor of economics at the National University of Distance Education (UNED). With a university career spanning more than three decades, Ayala is a renowned specialist in the study of multidimensional poverty, inequality, and social protection systems.
Throughout his career, he has led numerous national and international research projects and has actively collaborated with the European Commission and the OECD. In recent years, he has also served on various advisory bodies of the Spanish government for the design and evaluation of public policies on social inclusion and the minimum wage.
In addition to his strong academic background, Ayala has maintained close ties with Caritas since the 1980s, when he began volunteering at his parish. Since then, he has been actively involved in initiatives related to employment and social analysis.
His approach combines economic science with the Church's social doctrine and biblical spirituality—a perspective aligned with the integral human development promoted by Pope Leo XIV. The new president is married and has three children.
A Review of the Manuel Bretón Era: Growth and the Social Economy
Luis Ayala succeeds Manuel Bretón, who is stepping down as president after a period of remarkable expansion and strengthening of the organization's public presence since his arrival in February 2017.
Under Bretón’s leadership, Cáritas Española has significantly increased its engagement with public administrations, businesses, and labor unions, in addition to experiencing historic budget growth: from 353 million euros managed in 2017 to more than 529 million euros in 2025, all dedicated to programs to combat poverty.
Furthermore, during its more than nine years of operation, the Caritas social economy network was firmly established, increasing the number of integration initiatives from 45 to 68 and tripling the number of sheltered jobs, which has facilitated access to the labor market for more than 120,000 people facing social exclusion.
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