Islamabad – In a national context where children face serious challenges, including discrimination, exploitation through child labour, abuse and denial of their right to education, Catholic children are called to be “little apostles and little missionaries, bringing the love, joy and message of Christ to others”. Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi emphasized this during a recent meeting with children gathered by the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood of the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, through the efforts of Father Farooq Ghafoor, diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
The meeting, centered on the theme “Children Helping Children”, brought together children, teachers, religious sisters, priests and representatives of various Catholic educational institutions for prayer, sharing and missionary formation. In 2026, the Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi is celebrating a special “Year of Children”, linking the initiative to the urgent challenges of education and child protection.
In their human and spiritual growth, Catholic children and young people – particularly those living in socio-economically marginalized areas – face difficult circumstances, including systemic religious discrimination.
“Since Christians are a minority, children often experience social exclusion, prejudice in schools and limited access to public services or scholarships. This restricts their socio-economic mobility from an early age,” Rabeel Aslam, head of Social Communications for the diocese, told Fides.
Another issue is child labour and economic vulnerability. “The poverty affecting Catholic communities,” Aslam continued, “often forces children to undertake dangerous work, such as in brick kilns, domestic work or informal agricultural labour, compromising their education or depriving them of it altogether, and perpetuating cycles of poverty.”
In rural areas, underage Christian girls are also at risk of forced marriage and forced religious conversion, “situations often compounded by the inaction of authorities and structural barriers that hinder their protection,” he noted.
Faced with these challenges, Archbishop Arshad urged children and young people “to pray for children throughout the world, to help children in need, and to share their gifts and resources”. He added that “in Pakistan, it is important to show the love of Christ through one’s actions and to become peacemakers among their friends”.
During the Eucharistic celebration, Archbishop Arshad highlighted their important role in the mission of the Church. Reflecting on the theme “Children Helping Children”, the Archbishop recalled “how precious the little ones are in the eyes of Jesus and that one is never too young to pray, serve, share and bear witness to one’s faith”. He encouraged them to become “evangelizers in their families, schools and communities”.
Children and young people, he recalled, can participate in the missionary work of the Church through prayer, good example, kindness, sharing and service to others. To this end, he urged them “to pray for children who are suffering, to help those in need, to share what they have and to bring the love of Christ to others in their daily lives”, emphasizing the missionary vocation of children and the specific mission of the Holy Childhood.
The gathering also included students from various Catholic schools, highlighting the important role these institutions play in educating younger generations, as well as in promoting the diocese’s pastoral and missionary activities.
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