A few months ago, I had the pleasure of visiting St. Ann
School of Cape Ann in Gloucester. It was
quite literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air.
God has blessed us with a busy few months here at the
Missionary Childhood Association, meaning lots of late nights, followed by
early mornings with most of the time in between spent on my feet talking (and
talking!) about what I love – the missions.
It seems that I’ve done the ABCs of the Archdiocese: Abington, Brockton,
Canton, Duxbury … to Plymouth, Revere and Weymouth!
At the end of February, I found myself in Gloucester thirty
minutes before I was expected. Not
wanting to interrupt the beginning of school, I took my World Mission Rosary to
the beach to thank God for my blessings and ask Him to get me out of His way
while I spoke at St. Ann’s. This is
always my prayer before a presentation.
I know the basic mission message, but only the Holy Spirit knows how each
group needs to hear it. I try my best to
leave it to Him.
After sending my prayers out on the ocean breezes, I found
St. Ann School and was greeted by Principal Michelle Butler who explained that
she described her school as “small but mighty!”
With only 90 students, they were a close knit bunch who got great
pleasure from their successful outreach projects in the past. Missionary Childhood, she felt, would strike
a chord in their hearts because it is their faith in action; it is the work of
the Church brought to life by the work of their own hands.
The students were engaging.
We sang, we talked and they had many questions about how children in
Haiti learn their faith through missionaries supported by MCA. They promised to continue to pray and
sacrifice so the work could continue.
Later, we received a check from St. Ann School for almost
$400, which represents candy bars, sodas and chips given up. It spoke of extra chores done at home and for
neighbors to earn mission money. It was also
one of the highest per capita donations we received this year for MCA. I dubbed them “The Little School that Could.”
As I write this column, I have learned that St. Ann School
will close its doors at the end of this school year. Though I am sad to learn that this school community
will be no more, I know that the young missionaries who were formed there will
continue to carry the message of their faith wherever they go, knowing that
because they are baptized, they are missionaries!
-Maureen Crowley Heil
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