EUROPE/SLOVAKIA - The European Conference of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood: creativity and new evangelization with children and adolescents

Bratislava (Fides News Agency) - The meeting of the “European Conference of Missionary Childhood,” known as CEME, French acronym for Conférence de l’Enfance Missionnaire Européenne), held in Bratislava from Sunday, April 12 to Thursday, April 16, concluded today with the Eucharistic celebration (see Fides, 11/04/2026).
The participants, from some 20 European countries, shared their experiences of faith developed with children and adolescents during four intense days, lived in a constructive and fraternal atmosphere. The central theme of the meeting was “creativity in the new evangelization.” “The combination of creativity and new evangelization represents one of the central challenges of the contemporary Church, as Pope Francis emphasized on several occasions,” commentated Sister Inês Paulo Albino, Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood, on Wednesday, April 15. Sister Inês Paulo Albino. She began her address by stating that it's not about seeking new content, but about using creativity, passion, and intelligence to convey the Gospel message, as also emphasized by Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, Apostolic Nuncio to Slovakia, who spoke of missionary zeal.
Sister Albino highlighted four key elements: boldness as an essential factor for this change of direction; the importance of witness and the ability to use creativity to move beyond "it's always been done this way"; creativity as a divine characteristic reflected in human beings, capable of bringing novelty and hope to contexts marked by disillusionment; and, finally, attention to culture, since the new evangelization requires a conversion of mind and heart that transforms the community into a creative space, open to dialogue and the signs of the times.
Sharing her personal experience, the nun referred to her visits to various National Directions, especially in rural areas where many children are deprived of their rights and, at times, victims of abuse and mistreatment: “In every child is contained God’s dream for him or her. There is nothing more human than trying to make it a reality. Unaccompanied minors are not a problem from which we must protect ourselves; they are children and young people who need help. Investing in them, in their protection, and in the defense of their rights is a benefit for everyone: for them, for us, for our cities, and for the world.” Sister Albino also referred to the sense of anxiety that affects children and adolescents today, especially in the most developed countries, inviting in particular the Churches of Europe—which financially support the Pontifical Mission Societies—to pause and “truly listen” to the Word of God in order to resume the path of a new evangelization. “Yesterday, as today, we see the risk of thinking we can build happiness alone, focused on the present and placing our trust in material things, sometimes placing too much trust in reason alone, forgetting that we are also spirit and soul,” Sister Albino stated, concluding her remarks with some suggestions intended to stimulate reflection among the participants upon their return to their respective countries. (EG) (Fides News Agency, 16/4/2026)

Share:

missionary childhood

---

---

missionary animation

---

---

fraternity

---

---

pontifical mission societies

---

---