Yes Virginia…

Christmas came a little early this year to the offices of The Society for the Propagation of the Faith. Last week I was visited by one of our benefactors who brought us a sizable legacy from him and from the estate of his late brother. This gentleman had fond memories of his first-hand experience with the Society dating back to his youth. He specifically mentioned our presence for many decades at 49 Franklin Street in the heart of downtown Boston, and his old friend, “Father Cushing.” When we asked him how he had become acquainted with our work, he responded that it had been when he was a young child and had participated in the Holy Childhood Association, the Pontifical Mission Society specifically geared to educate children about the missions.

This donor’s generous contribution to our work highlights two points. First, we are reminded of the vital role that the Holy Childhood Association plays in educating children about the missionary work of the Church during their most formative years. Lessons learned at that early age tend to be retained in one’s memory. It is precisely for this reason that Cardinal Sean has mandated the introduction of the Holy Childhood Association into the curriculum of every Catholic school and program of Religious Education in the Archdiocese.

The second factor in this story is the importance of planned giving to support the work of sharing and spreading the Gospel. Those who invest in annuities with us, or who remember us in their wills, or who are members of the Cardinal Cushing Club as monthly or quarterly donors, all provide valuable and long-term benefits to this most sacred work—benefits that keep on giving even long after our donors have gone to their heavenly reward.

As we are poised on the brink of a New Year, I invite all of you to consider long-term participation in any of these areas of planned giving. Please feel free to contact our office at 617-542-1776 or email us at [email protected] with your questions. We will be happy to explain these options to you.

For more information about enrolling your children as members of the Holy Childhood Association, starting them on a life-long path of service to the missions, contact Maureen Heil in our office at 617-779-3871 or email her at [email protected].