Sister Inês Paulo Albino appointed Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Work of the Holy Childhood
Sister Inês Paulo Albino of the Congregation of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sisters has been appointed by Pope Francis
Sister Inês Paulo Albino was born in Bula, Guinea Bissau, on April 25, 1969. On September 14, 1997, she professed perpetual vows in the Congregation of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sisters in which she now serves as Institute Councilor.
Her studies and assignments
She did her studies in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University where she earned a Licentiate in Biblical Theology. She has worked in multifaceted areas but always in close contact with people and children: in the field of evangelization, catechesis, teaching and apostolate with young people.
She has been Pastoral Care Manager in the Parish of Santa Maria de Mattias in Ignoré and Director of the National Directorate of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Guinea Bissau.
Sister Inês Paulo Albino in this new position succeeds Sister Roberta Tremarelli who led the Work of the Holy Childhood as Secretary General for seven years, from 2017 to 2024.
The Pontifical Work of the Holy Childhood
There are four Pontifical Mission Societies and they all aim to promote participation in the apostolic life of the Church.
- Pontifical Work of the Propagation of the Faith
- Pontifical Work of the Missionary Childhood (or of the Holy Childhood)
- Pontifical Work of St. Peter the Apostle
- Pontifical Missionary Union
The Pontifical Work of the Holy Childhood (or Missionary Childhood) was founded in 1843 by Monsignor Charles de Forbin-Janson, Bishop of Nancy, who entrusted it under the protection of the Child Jesus.
The Pontifical Work, now in more than 130 countries around the world, was born with the aim of awakening a missionary spirit among children through a dimension of faith that would not leave the needs of their peers unheard but would be welcomed with love and solidarity: to transmit a missionary outlook and heart from childhood.
The challenge is to stimulate an openness and awareness by revitalizing a propensity for the apostolate already present in every child. How? Through three avenues:
- Prayer. Every day children pray for other children.
- The collection, promoted by the missionary children on behalf of suffering children in the world.
- Missionary witness. Let their actions be an example of life, let them be witnesses for other children
The Pontifical Work of Missionary Childhood announces Gospel values through catechesis, formation, prayer and apostolate and fosters human as well as Christian education and growth.