Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) - Not only houses, streets and schools are among the places that the Polish Star Singers have visited in this year that has just begun, but they were also welcomed in the Apostolic Nuncio and the Presidential Palace. Two very special meetings for the two delegations that were welcomed on 8 and 16 January respectively by Archbishop Filippazzi, Apostolic Nuncio in Poland, and the wife of the Polish President, Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda. The activity of the Star Singers (see Fides, 3/1/2025), which will last in Poland until February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, takes place in all 42 Polish dioceses and around 1000 groups are on the move.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, the example country for the campaign this year, was represented on both visits by African songs and a small performance depicting daily challenges faced by their peers in this part of the world.
On both occasions, a large representation of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Poland (PMS) was present, accompanied by its National Director, Fr. Maciej Będziński, and Sister Monika Juszka (RMI), the National Secretary of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood (POSI).
"I began my diplomatic service in Sri Lanka and got to know the Pontifical Childhood Society there," said the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Filippazzi, to the group of star singers in the parish of "St. Stanisław Kostka" in Okuniew.
"The current Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith, was a member of the Children's Missionary Society before becoming a priest, bishop and cardinal, and actively promoted their groups, of which there are now very many on the Asian island. This evangelizing power of children is of course needed not only in Asia, but on all continents and today perhaps even more so in Europe."
The Apostolic Nuncio therefore called on the star singers to be "evangelizers", starting in the family and at school, and to continue their commitment to their peers who live in difficult situations. The star singers from Włocławek, who belong to the Catholic Jan Długosz School, took part in the visit to the Polish Presidential Palace. Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda, wife of the Polish President, shared her experiences visiting mission countries, stressing that thanks to the commitment of Polish children, many of their peers from these countries receive a meal and go to school. The children asked the First Lady many questions, which she was happy to answer, while she invited them to tell her about their commitment. The meeting ended with a prayer for the missions and for children and young people around the world, which took place in the private chapel of the Presidential Palace. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 22/1/2025)