MALTA was the most recent country chosen to host the European Holy Childhood Conference (CEME), an event which takes place every two years.
The gathering brings together all those who work within the Missionary Children (Holy Childhood) sector of the Pontifical Mission Societies—the Pope’s official charity for overseas mission— throughout Europe (above), to share their knowledge, experience, ideas and materials.
At the opening Mass of the conference in Rabat, the attendees were invited to bring a personal object to the altar which represented an event or an experience linked to their work with Missionary Children.
Throughout the four-day meeting—which took as its theme ‘Children living together in a common world, on the traces of St Paul’—the participants had the opportunity not only to share their Missionary Children materials with their European colleagues, but they were also treated to an insightful lecture on children’s spirituality by Professor Adrian Gellel, as well as being afforded to visit many of the sites on the island associated with St Paul himself.
The group also attended Masses at St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina, celebrated by Charles Jude Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta, and St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valetta, celebrated by Paul Cremona, the Archbishop Emeritus of Malta. Both members of the Maltese hierarchy were presented with gifts by outgoing CEME President, Markus Offner of Missio Aachen, who was himself presented with a gift shortly afterwards for his service to CEME.
The conference saw Deacon Kaare Nielsen, the National Director for Scandinavia, elected as the new CEME President and Switzerland was chosen as the location for the 2020 gathering.
gerard@missioscotland.com