Pope Leo XIV has moved the Pontifical Committee for World Children's Day to the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. The decision was made after an audience with Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra and was made public in a Rescript. The Pontifical Committee was established by Pope Francis in 2024 to organize events for children. The World Children's Day event is inspired by World Youth Days and aims to gather children globally for faith, music, and togetherness.
4 months ago
Pope Leo XIV has issued a rescript formally placing the Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day (WCD) under the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life 1 3. This decision, made public on August 13, 2025, follows an audience with Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, on August 6 1 3. The move transfers the Committee from its previous direct authority under the Pope 1.
World Children’s Day was established by Pope Francis on December 8, 2023 3. The first edition of the event took place on May 25, 2024, at Rome's Olympic Stadium, gathering over 50,000 children and adolescents from 77 countries, including those from conflict zones 1 3. The event aims to bring minors together for a gathering of faith, music, and testimonies, inspired by World Youth Days 1.
The Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day was established by Pope Francis on November 20, 2024, through a chirograph 1 3. Its mission is to oversee the "ecclesial animation and pastoral organization" of World Children’s Day 1. The Committee is responsible for coordinating and promoting initiatives from national and regional organizing committees, and for collaborating with local churches to ensure WCD is not an isolated event, aiming to make pastoral care for children a Church priority 1. In February 2025, the Committee also organized a Vatican meeting focused on children's rights, titled "Love Them and Protect Them," attended by Pope Francis, royalty, politicians, and experts 1. Father Enzo Fortunato was appointed its president 3.
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, currently led by Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, has a mandate that naturally extends to the pastoral care of children 1 3. This Dicastery also organizes World Youth Days (WYD), having absorbed the former Pontifical Council for the Laity's Youth Section in 2016 as part of Pope Francis’ Roman Curia reform 1. The transfer signifies a consolidation of youth and family-related pastoral initiatives within a single, specialized Vatican department 1.
The next World Children’s Day is scheduled to be celebrated in Rome in September 2026 3.
What is the Church's role in safeguarding children?
The Church's role in safeguarding children is a fundamental aspect of its mission, rooted in the Gospel message and the care entrusted by Christ for the weakest and most defenseless . This commitment involves a multifaceted approach that includes prevention, protection, support for victims, and accountability for offenders.
The protection of minors and vulnerable persons is an integral part of the Gospel message that the Church and all its members are called to proclaim . Christ Himself entrusted the Church with the care and protection of the weakest, stating, "whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me" (Mt 18:5) . This mandate requires a continuous and profound conversion, where personal holiness and moral commitment converge to promote the credibility of the Gospel and renew the Church's educational mission .
The Church, in its motherly care, provides the mercy of God and nourishes the faithful through the Word and Eucharist . It is Christ who lives in His Church, teaching, governing, and sanctifying through her, manifesting Himself especially in those who are the object of His special love, including children whose innocence is easily exposed to danger .
To fulfill this role, the Church has strengthened its institutional and regulatory framework to prevent and counter abuses against minors and vulnerable persons . This includes:
A crucial aspect of safeguarding is the support provided to victims and their families:
The Church is committed to proactive measures to prevent abuse:
The Church also addresses the rehabilitation of offenders and the protection of the wrongly accused:
In summary, the Church's role in safeguarding children is comprehensive, encompassing a commitment to creating safe environments, implementing robust legal and pastoral frameworks, providing compassionate support to victims, and ensuring accountability and rehabilitation, all rooted in its core mission of proclaiming the Gospel and caring for the most vulnerable , .