Children Catching the Missionary Fire with MCA!

With lots of work and many presentations, our children’s mission society, the MissionaryChildhood Association (MCA), is catching fire around the Archdiocese!  On September 25th, students, teachers, DREs, principals, parents and missionaries gathered at Our Lady Help of Christian Parish for Boston’s second annual MCA Mission Education Day.

Our day was filled with many thoughtful and thought-provoking moments, beginning with Sister Rosemary Hayes, SHCJ sharing stories of her lifetime of mission work throughout Africa.  Sister encouraged everyone to listen during the day for a very important word in our faith:  “GO!”  She reminded us that we are sent so many times – to those near and far, to share the Good News – but we need to keep our ears open for the Word from God!

Cardinal Seán celebrated Mass and spoke about the parable of the Good Samaritan, telling his listeners that their membership in the Missionary Childhood Association is a great way to prove their willingness to look after their neighbors through their faith – including children around the world whom they will never meet.

Mass was followed by a bit of fun – in the form of a craft project.  What would a day of faith-sharing be without fun?  Each parish or school group received a large cross and pictures cut from mission magazines of people who are actually benefitting from the prayers and sacrifices that Catholic children make as members of MCA.  The cross became a collage of faces which each group took home to use as their Mission centerpiece for the year.  As the students worked, Cardinal Seán visited each table – and even took pictures for his blog!

After lunch, we had a lively discussion about how to make Mission Education come to life in our Archdiocesan Schools and Parishes by using MCA materials and other creative projects inspired by the students themselves.

To top off the day, Fr. Patrick Byrne, SVD, the former International Secretary General for MCA at the Vatican, made it all real for those present by telling stories of the wonderful mission work accomplished by MCA:  HIV/AIDS orphans receive care, child soldiers are rehabilitated, wells are being dug to provide clean water, child victims of cholera and malaria are receiving much needed treatment; all this and more is made possible by Catholic children worldwide who are living their faith – and caring for other children.

For more information about how your children can become MCA members, email me at mheil@propfaithboston.org or call 617-779-3871.

-Maureen Crowley Heil