EUROPE/HUNGARY – Message of the annual gathering of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood: Different yet united in the love of Christ

Budapest – More than 100 children, accompanied by their animators and several parents, gathered in Budapest for the annual meeting organized by the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood in Hungary, together with the International Secretariat of POSI. The gathering was held under the theme: “The love of Christ unites us.”
“We firmly believe that it is the love of Christ that brings us together and unites us beyond all borders.
Spiritually, we are inspired by the founder of the Holy Childhood Society, Charles de Forbin-Janson, who used to say, ‘My greatest joy is to make others happy,’” explained Fr Tete Remis, a missionary of the Society of the Divine Word and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Hungary.
“On this occasion,” he added, “we celebrate the missionary commitment of children who, despite their young age, step forward to pray for their peers in other countries. Faithful to the motto of the Holy Childhood, ‘Children helping children,’ we encourage them to support children in difficulty through small sacrifices and prayers for the poor, the sick and orphans in dire need.”
Coming from different communities across the country, the missionary children and adolescents spent the entire day together on Saturday. The day began with the celebration of Mass presided over by Father Fransiskus Xaverius Magung, Provincial Superior of the Society of the Divine Word. Games, singing, sports and art workshops followed throughout the day. The gathering was also attended by Sr Inês Paulo Albino, A.S.C., Secretary General of POSI, who had travelled from Rome especially for the occasion.
After expressing her gratitude to the children and animators for their presence and for their valuable missionary commitment, Sr Albino reflected on the theme of the gathering.
“It seems to reflect the world in which we live, a world rich in differences: different cultures, languages, traditions, experiences and sensibilities. Yet I believe that these differences are a great richness for the Church and for the world, even though at times they may appear to be a source of division,” the POSI Secretary General emphasized.
She continued: “Jesus’ message is clear: we are called not to be all the same, but to be united in love.”
Sr Albino also stressed that the love of Christ is not merely a feeling, but a concrete love, a self-giving love that enables us to build relationships founded on welcome, forgiveness and fraternity. She drew attention to the need for love experienced both by the world and by each one of us.
“The challenge today is to ask ourselves how I, and how we, can make this love concrete in our communities, not by starting with large institutions,” she told the participants. “Let us begin with each one of us: perhaps with a kind word of encouragement, a gesture of attentiveness, a sincere act of forgiveness or a willingness to help someone in difficulty… Every small gesture performed with love strengthens unity and makes Christ’s presence among us visible. In this way, through our lives, we can become witnesses to his tenderness and bring hope to those we meet.”
Sr Albino concluded by encouraging everyone to persevere in missionary pastoral ministry, to promote the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood and to continue living the spirituality of the Holy Childhood with joy.

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