On March 28, the Pontifical Holy Childhood Society inaugurated a new centre in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Bahrain, which signaled an important moment in the local Catholic community.

The Society, which is found in more than 130 countries around the world, reflects the Church’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of children worldwide.

As a global initiative, which has long been recognized for its emphasis on supporting children in need, the Holy Childhood Society provides aid to children living in poverty, conflict, and crisis in underprivileged regions.

The mission of the organization is to foster solidarity, prayer, charity, and mutual support to ensure that the fundamental resources of education, healthcare, and overall well-being are available to children worldwide.

Prayer can change lives

A Mass celebrated by Bishop Aldo Berardi established the Society in the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, whose jurisdiction covers four countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. His homily, full of reflections and a call to action, challenged the people present to be open to the Pontifical Society.

The bishop stressed the importance of prayer in children’s lives, saying, “We must pray for children, but we must also teach them to pray for one another.”

He also emphasized that prayer and mutual action are what can change the lives of the most vulnerable.

The Pontifical Holy Childhood Society is not just about giving children material goods. Rather, it extends beyond that and is focused on creating a universal sense of responsibility and solidarity among children.

At the end of the inaugural Mass, about 46 children made a solemn pledge to pray, share, and help as part of their commitment to the Society.

History of the Society

In the mid-1800s, French Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson, moved by the news that children in China were dying without the Sacrament of Baptism, asked for help from the founders of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith (part of the Pontifical Missions Society).

Bishop de Forbin-Janson had the idea to involve the children of France in helping the children through prayer and concrete action.

The commitment every child made was to pray one Hail Mary and offer one small coin a month. On May 19, 1843, the Society began with the motto, “Children helping children.”