Pax Romana Gathering in Thailand Strengthens Global Ministry of Accompanying Young People

Catholic chaplains, lay animators, and student leaders from four continents gathered in northern Thailand to strengthen the Church's ministry of accompanying young people, concluding with a commitment to deepen leadership formation and synodal collaboration across the global Pax Romana movement.

The Global Chaplains, Animators Formation and Exchange (CAFE) 2026 brought together 44 participants from Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America at the International Youth Training Centre (IYTC) in Chiang Mai, about 700 kilometers north of Bangkok, from July 12 to 20. Several others joined the program online.

Organized by Pax Romana–International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS-MIEC) in partnership with the International Youth Training Centre, the Communal Life of Love and Unity of the Mountain People (CLUMP) Foundation, Life Skill Academy, and the Catholic Student Network of Thailand, the program was held under the theme "Walking Together in Hope."

Through prayer, Eucharistic celebrations, workshops, community immersion, dialogue, and planning sessions, participants reflected on how the Church can better accompany young people amid rapid social, cultural, and technological change.

The formation program focused on accompaniment as a pastoral mission rooted in listening, discernment, and authentic relationships. Participants reflected on the realities facing university students in light of Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching, and recent Church documents, including Christus Vivit, Evangelii Gaudium, and Laudato Si', while also considering the teachings of Pope Leo XIV.

Guided by the Pax Romana spirituality of “See, Understand, Theological Reflection, Discernment, and Action,” they explored practical ways to strengthen campus ministry and student leadership while responding to issues such as migration, poverty, armed conflict, environmental degradation, and digital transformation.

The gathering also featured messages from two cardinals encouraging participants to remain close to young people through attentive listening and authentic witness.

Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, said the Church's mission is to help young people discover lives rooted in Christ and reminded participants that effective accompaniment begins with genuine relationships.

"Youth are not looking for perfect, flawless role models," he said. "They want authenticity, closeness, and the ability to listen."

Cardinal Sebastian Francis of Penang, Malaysia, described the program as an expression of the Church's universality and encouraged participants to become missionary disciples grounded in the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching.

"The strength of IMCS Pax Romana as a 'glocal' movement depends on your deep formation, your ability to read the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching," he said.

The program concluded with the adoption of the Chiang Mai Declaration 2026: Walking Together in Hope, reaffirming that accompanying young people remains central to the mission of Pax Romana IMCS.

The declaration commits chaplains, animators, and student leaders to strengthen leadership formation, promote Catholic Social Teaching, foster synodal collaboration, and respond to the challenges affecting young people worldwide. Participants also developed regional action plans and contributed to an IMCS Pastoral Handbook to support campus ministry across the movement.

William Nokrek, international president of Pax Romana IMCS, said the gathering's lasting impact would be measured not by the week spent in Chiang Mai but by how participants apply what they learned in their universities and local communities.

Founded in 1921, Pax Romana IMCS is an international Catholic student movement active in more than 75 countries. Through faith formation, leadership development, advocacy, and intercultural dialogue, it seeks to prepare young people to become leaders committed to justice, peace, solidarity, and care for creation.