KONSTANCIN-JEZIORNA, Poland — Some 40 representatives from 18 countries gathered near Warsaw from May 12–17 for an international meeting of Pallottine Coordinators of the Apostolate for Children, organized by the General Secretariat for the Apostolate of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate. Held at the Centre for Apostolate and Mission in Konstancin-Jeziorna under the theme “Children – Our Future and Responsibility,” the meeting brought together participants from across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Western world to address the pastoral, educational, spiritual and safeguarding dimensions of ministry with children. 

The meeting opened with an inaugural Mass presided over by Tadeusz Wojda SAC, Archbishop of Gdańsk, followed by a ceremony led by the Rev. Rahul Philips SAC, General Consulter and chief organizer. Sessions covered a broad range of topics, including the theological foundations of child ministry, the Pallottine charism, the influence of artificial intelligence on child development, digital media risks, and communication and storytelling in pastoral work. 

An important moment of the gathering was a session by Ewa Kusz, a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, titled “For a Culture of Care and Protection.” Kusz argued that safeguarding must be understood as an essential dimension of evangelization, not a procedural add-on. Every pastoral initiative, she said, must be grounded in responsibility, vigilance and a commitment to creating safe environments for children. 

Kusz stressed that a genuine culture of care requires more than rules and procedures. It demands a conversion of mentality, a clear commitment to the dignity of every child, and the active participation of communities, educators and pastoral leaders. Protection, she said, is not merely reactive but a proactive mission: to create spaces where children are welcomed, heard, respected and accompanied with both tenderness and professionalism. 

The theme of child protection echoed throughout the wider program. Participants acknowledged that ministry with children today, in a world marked by broken families, violence, war, addiction, digital risks and social vulnerability, demands a pastoral approach that is both compassionate and well prepared. The meeting called for stronger formation programs, clear guidelines, responsible leadership and sustained awareness across all Pallottine communities, parishes and schools. 

Continental perspectives were shared by speakers from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, reinforcing a common conviction: while contexts differ, the mission is the same. To place children at the center, protect them, and help them grow in faith, humanity and hope. 

The program also included Eucharistic celebrations, among them a Mass presided over by Archbishop Adrian Galbas SAC of Warsaw, as well as group work, dialogue, cultural exchange and visits to sites of Pallottine significance in Poland. The concluding session produced an action plan, with participants encouraged to return to their provinces and communities with renewed motivation and concrete commitments. The meeting closed May 17 with a Mass presided over by the Rev. Zenon Hanas SAC, Rector General. 

The gathering reaffirmed that the Pallottine apostolate with children must be guided by the Gospel, inspired by the charism of St. Vincent Pallotti and strengthened by an unwavering commitment to safeguarding, one that sees the protection of children not as a burden, but as an expression of the Church’s most fundamental pastoral calling.