Mission Presentations

Throughout the month of October, the young missionaries of the Holy Childhood Association celebrated the theme for the Holy Father Benedict XVI’s  message for  World Mission Sunday 2011, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you”  (John 20:21).

As part of parish World Mission Sunday celebrations, Father Charles Goliath, O.S.F.S spoke to students in the Parish Religious Education Program at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Norristown, and Father John Mooka, A.J., shared stories from the Apostles of Jesus Missions with the students of Saint Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother PREP in Stowe.

The student missionaries of Saint John the Evangelist School in Morrisville celebrated their annual Mission Day with a visit from Father Anthony Burrascano, O.S.A., Director of the Augustinian Missions Office, a prayer service, and fun games to raise money for HCA.

Sister Lisa Valentini, MSC, shared stories of her missionary vocation and her recent ministry in Haiti with almost 2,900 children in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.  Students at Ancillae-Assumpta Academy in Wyncote, Saint Bernadette School and CCD in Drexel Hill, Saints Colman-John Neumann School in Bryn Mawr, Saint Cornelius School in Chadds Ford, Saint Denis School in Havertown, Saint Katharine of Siena School in Wayne, Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Southampton, Saints Simon and Jude School in West Chester, and Saint Thomas Aquinas PREP in Croyden prepared for World Mission Sunday by taking to heart Sister Lisa’s message that they are Missionaries today by virtue of their Baptism.  Our HCA members promised to pray for Sister Lisa as she serves in Mission in Haiti from October 26 until December 1.

Confirmation candidates at Saint Jude Parish in Chalfont explored their Missionary vocation during their retreat.  Father Michael Useni, the Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Malawi, shared with the 7th graders how children in his country witness to their faith as members of the Holy Childhood Association.  After Confirmation, 7th graders at St Jude School wore the tee shirts they made as a retreat activity and “went out on mission” to the younger students to explain how they prepared to celebrate Confirmation and what they learned about the saints whose names they chose.

Theresa Hicks, a lay missionary from the Society for African Missions, inspired students at Sacred Heart School and PREP in Oxford and Saint Patrick School in Kennett Square with her stories from the SMA Missions and her account of her own missionary vocation.  Ms. Hicks told the kids in Chester County that she joined HCA as an elementary school student in Canada!

Saint Ephrem School in Bensalem began the 2011-2012 academic year with a renewed commitment to the Missions.  When HCA Mission Education Coordinator Maureen Rilling visited during the first week of school, the students promised to offer prayer and sacrifice for their peers around the world.

Throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, young Missionaries kept busy during the Summer
Monsignor Martin Keveny, a missionary priest working in the Diocese of Miracema Do Tocantins, Brazil, took part in Vacation Bible School at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Hilltown during a hot week in July.  Monsignor Keveny told the campers that summer temperatures reach 110o in his parish in the Amazon!  Throughout the week of VBS, campers prayed the World Mission Rosary and made sacrificial offerings for the work of the Holy Childhood Association.

HCA Mission Education Coordinator Maureen Rilling introduced summer campers at Saint Bernadette Parish in Drexel Hill to the World Mission Rosary.  The children made a World Mission Rosary chaplet to take home.

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