NEWSLETTER. Mission Visits to schools and parishes

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1 NEWSLETTER Pontifical Mission Societies Office Deacon Edward T. Kelly, Diocesan Director Diocese of Scranton Miriam Heverline, Mission Education Coordinator 300 Wyoming Avenue Scranton, PA Telephone: / FAX: ========================================================================================== From the Desk of the Director As summer begins to wind down and the days become shorter, the tempo of everything is about to change. To most, the new year means January 1 st. But to all new and returning principals, teachers, and mission moderators, the new year refers to the days at the end of the summer when the school year begins. As one who spent time in education, I understand this cycle and there is something positive and exciting about beginning anew! We begin this new school year blessed with a new Pope. Pope Francis recently said, We need a Church capable of walking at people s side, of doing more than simply listening to them; a Church which accompanies them on their journey. By participating in the programs and activities of the Missionary Childhood Association, children learn about their brothers and sisters in mission lands children just like them. As members of MCA, children discover the joy of living their faith. The theme for the MCA school year is Open the Door of Faith. Pope Francis, in his words and actions, has been opening the door of faith to all. The Gospel is for everyone, he has proclaimed. There are no borders, no limits. It is for everyone. Dear Principals, Teachers, Mission Moderators, Pastors and Catechists we thank you for your ongoing support of the worldwide mission of the Church, and for opening the door of faith to all the children entrusted to you. May God bless you in this new school year as you continue to open the door for young Catholics and their families to the Lord s love and His saving grace to be, in every moment, His missionary disciples. A Missionary Journey In 1843, Bishop Forbin-Janson returned home to France after journeying to visit the young churches in the U.S. He was determined to continue the great work of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith founded by a family friend, Pauline Jaricot. He was convinced that, though weak and needing care, children rich in faith and love were capable of playing their own part in the Church s mission. And thus, the Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) was born. Today, MCA continues to follow the vision of Bishop Forbin-Janson children helping children. Great Works in Ghana Missionaries first came to Obuasi, Ghana in Today, the Catholic Diocese of Obuasi has 94,000 Catholics, most of whom learned about Jesus and our faith by attending schools run by missionaries and, later, local priests and religious. Schools remain an important part of the service of the church in Obuasi. In fact, just this year thanks to the generosity of children in the U.S. the Missionary Childhood Association sent $25,000 to the Bishop of Obuasi to expand two schools there and build more classrooms. The funds will also help teachers buy supplies and religious education materials. Total number of students that were helped: close to 600! (For more stories about the missions, log onto the national office website: Mission Visits to schools and parishes Deacon Kelly and Miriam are available throughout the school year to come to your School or Parish RE program for a Mission Mass or Classroom audio-visual presentation about the missions around the world. Call the office at number listed above, or send , to arrange a time.

2 MCA Resource Guide Can be seen in its entirety and downloaded by logging on For your convenience in placing an order for your school or parish program, all the resources and programs being offered are listed here, with brief descriptions. All materials for these programs are free of charge. Helping Hand Envelope for Membership Teachers and catechists have indicated to us that having an opportunity to become a member of the Missionary Childhood Association would encourage children to take ownership of the MCA programs. Since there is no official Membership Program offered in the Resource Guide, we encourage making the Hand of Help Envelope available for this purpose at the beginning of the school year between September and October before Advent season begins. Holy Buckets A New Education Program for Advent founded in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis and tested in schools and RE programs in several dioceses. The educators who used Holy Buckets gave high praise to this print-and webbased program that engages young people in their missionary call, seeking their prayers, actions and monetary sacrifices for the work of MCA among their brothers and sisters in the Missions. By visiting the Holy Buckets website, young people can track their support for the Missions, as well as total help provided by MCA kids around the country. Have a look at Holy Buckets for yourself at this website: Buckets/. It s Our World Newsletter This award-winning newsletter continues to be offered free-ofcharge for the appropriate grade level (K-1, 2-3, 4-5 and 6-8). It is offered as a subscription and published as Advent and Lent issues. This kidfriendly newsletter connects U.S. children to children in mission countries, and teaches them about life in the Missions through stories, activities and prayer. A Leader s Guide is provided for each liturgical season, with activities and criticalthinking questions related to the It s Our World newsletters. Advent and Lent are opportunities to teach children about the importance of their Baptismal call to mission and the related call to prayer and sacrificial giving, so that others come to know Jesus, and experience the love, hope and peace that comes through faith in Him. Use the coin folders, mite boxes, or helping hand envelopes to collect offerings for poor and vulnerable children half a world away. Prayer and Penny Week March 16-23, 2014 Our National Prayer and Penny Week Program honors the legacy of Pauline Jaricot who encouraged prayers and help for the Missions of her day (including our own country). This program is part of MCA s Lenten prayer and sacrifice program. It features daily reflections and suggestions for centering prayers and focus on the call to be missionaries and the needs of our mission family. (See the enclosed Update Form to place an order for any of these materials through our office in Scranton.)

3 NEWSLETTER Pontifical Mission Societies Office Deacon Edward T. Kelly, Diocesan Director Diocese of Scranton Miriam Heverline, Mission Education Coordinator 300 Wyoming Avenue Scranton, PA Telephone: / FAX: ========================================================================================== Christmas Artwork Contest Twenty-four winners will be selected in the Missionary Childhood Association Christmas Artwork Contest. Their artwork will appear as E-Greetings on the national website for children (MCAKids.org) and displayed at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. during Advent and through the Christmas season. The official entry form will be located at and at World Mission Rosary Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (National Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from ) developed the World Mission Rosary. Each of the five decades is a different color to represent areas of the world where the Church continues her evangelizing mission. The MCA World Mission Rosary comes with a booklet that explains the colors of this Rosary, and offers age-appropriate mission reflections for the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries. We have World Mission Rosaries made by local rosarymakers available in our office. To order, call or our office. The children of Cheshire a story from the missions Eight-year-old Raisa is from Rwalnda, a country in Africa. She has cerebral palsy (say: she-ree-brel pawl-zee). She moved with her family to Zambia so she could go to the Cheshire Home. Children s gifts to the Missionary Childhood Association help the Sisters care for Raisa and other children at this home. Cerebral palsy (CP) affects thousands of babies and children each year. It is not contagious, which means you can t catch it from anyone who has it. Risa s arms and legs are affected by CP, and she has trouble speaking. She receives therapy and is improving every day. Most importantly, she knows she is special in God s eyes. She knows she is loved by god and the Sisters and by children through their prayers and help. Someday, Raisa hopes to be a doctor and help others. New this year:.. An exciting new video highlighting the beauty and the why of the World Mission Rosary will be released this October. Produced with a dynamic combination of graphics, images and text, the video is geared to animate, provoke questions and visually show how we are all members of the one family in mission. The short video and its accompanying discussion guide will be available for free download at There is also a version of the video and guide for high school students.

4 Report of Contributions for School Year All 16 Catholic elementary schools participated in the Missionary Childhood Association programs this past year for a total of $24, contributed by the children. Children in Parish Religious Education/Faith Formation programs contributed $9, The full report will be included with the World Mission Sunday information to be sent in September. World Mission Sunday A Eucharistic Celebration for all the World World Mission Sunday, organized by the Propagation of the Faith, is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to recommit themselves to the Church s missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice. World Mission Sunday will be observed this year in all Mark Your Calendars! Missionary Childhood Day / Worldwide Children s Eucharistic Holy Hour October 4, 2013 World Mission Sunday October 20, 2013 First Sunday of Advent December 1, 2013 Christmas Artwork Contest Deadline for Entries January 31, 2014 National Prayer and Penny Week March 16-23, 2014 Ash Wednesday March 5, 2014 Easter Sunday April 20, 2014 Pentecost Sunday June 8, 2014 parishes of our Diocese and around the world on Sunday, October 20. A televised Pontifical Mass will be celebrated at St. Peter s Cathedral in Scranton at 12:15 PM. Most Reverend Bishop Emeritus James C. Timlin will be the main celebrant. All Catholic schools and Parish Religious Education/Faith Formation programs will be recognized at the Cathedral Mass for their missionary activity in the past school year. Registration forms and instructions for the celebration at the Cathedral will be sent to schools and parishes in September.

5 Faith and Family Ties in Uganda Another story from the missions: At the Children and Life Mission Home in the Archdiocese of Kampala, Uganda, some 150 boys, many of whom are AIDS orphans, have found help and hope through the loving service of the missionaries who care for them. Run by the Salesians of Don Bosco,the home receives support from the Missionary Childhood Association. Religious education and faith formation are integral parts of the boys daily activities. In addition to daily prayer and Sunday Mass, the children participate in Eucharistic Adoration, and pray the Rosary once a week. In 2009, a new chapel was completed and dedicated at the home; the joyous celebration included the Baptism of 62 boys! In addition to academics, the boys are taught practical skills, such as farming. In fact, most of the food served at the home is grown by the boys themselves. There are many recreation activities, including the acrobatic club and band. We are all missionaries to one another and to the people we meet, says Salesian Father Richard Jozwiak. All of our efforts are geared toward this goal. Father Richard notes that Missionary Childhood Day is celebrated every year with plays, sports activities, and, of course, prayer. All of the children are very grateful for the help they receive, he offers. We remember you in our prayers, asking God to give you good health and His blessings! Mission Rosary will be released this October. Produced with a dynamic combination of graphics, images and text, the video is geared to animate, provoke questions and visually show how we are all members of the one family in mission. The short video and its accompanying discussion guide will be available for free download at There is also a version of the video and guide for high school students. World Mission Rosary Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (National Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from ) developed the World Mission Rosary. Each of the five decades is a different color to represent areas of the world where the Church continues her evangelizing mission. The MCA World Mission Rosary comes with a booklet that explains the colors of this Rosary, and offers age-appropriate mission reflections for the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries. We have World Mission Rosaries made by local rosary-makers available in our office. To order, call or our office. New this year: An exciting new video highlighting the beauty and the why of the World