Holy Childhood Association A P o n t i f i c a l M i s s i o n S o c i e t y children helping children

HCA e-news Vol. 1, Issue 8, March 2011

NATIONAL PRAYER WEEK! HCA’s National Prayer Week is March 13 - 20 ! Love God, HCA has prepared a special prayer for your students. Your prayers are serve God; urgently needed for missionaries all over the world. While HCA depends greatly on the financial sacrifices of students in this country, prayer is of everything greatest importance. In fact, Pope Benedict XVI said that he also counts on the prayers of children. ―In my ministry, I also count on children’s is in that. prayers and their active participation in the mission of the Church.‖ St. Clare of Assisi

Please join with us in prayer! Mission of the Month: CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER Materials were sent to each and school by the National Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies. Make sure to send back your participa- Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer was born in tion post-card by May 6th! as the 9th of 12 children. He longed to be a priest, but there was no money for Activity of the Month: Lenten Cross studies so he began work as a baker. He found ways to study the faith while baking, but continued to encounter obstacles.

After one day in , he called a carriage for two ladies waiting in the rain. In their conversation, the ladies learned that he could not pur- Design a classroom Lenten cross. Make a cross for the class (or for sue his priestly studies due to a lack of funds, so they generously offered each student). As Lent goes on, have the students put purple (Lenten to support him in his seminary studies. He was ordained at age 34 in color) pieces of paper onto the cross describing a sacrifice they made 1785. He encountered more difficulties in Vienna so continued on to Po- (giving up a soda, etc) or a prayer intention for kids in developing coun- land where he preached outdoor sermons. Once given a church, he tries. As Lent goes on, the cross will fill up and students will see how preached 5 sermons a day, 2 in German and 3 in Polish, converting many they can sacrifice and pray for others just as Jesus did for us. Chal- to the faith. He worked among the poor, founded an orphanage, as well lenge the class to completely cover the cross by the end of Lent! Let as a school for boys. He was able to send missionaries to Poland, Ger- me know how it goes! many, and Switzerland. Due to his efforts, the congrega- tion, upon his death in 1820, was firmly established north of the Alps.

Mission Country of the Month: KENYA

Kenya is a country in Eastern Africa. Kenyans speak English, Kiswahili, and numerous indigenous lan- guages. About 33% of Kenyans are Roman Catholic. Within the Roman Catholic dioceses of Kenya, children participate in the Pontifical Missionary Childhood— what we call the Holy Childhood Association! Explore our websites for more information and fun More than 30,000 children gathered to celebrate their activities! missionary spirit– and their role as missionaries— on a sunny Saturday in Nairobi. Leading these members of www.hcakids.org the Holy Childhood Association, was their archbishop, Cardinal John Njue. The annual Mass with the local www.archbalt.org/ is part of the activities of the HCA in Kenya. missions During the Offertory Procession, children brought gifts

for children in need in their archdiocese— sugar, ba- nanas, salt, chalk and slates. They also offered what financial help they could. HCA around Baltimore Students at St. Clement Mary Hofbauer School in Rosedale continuously support the Holy Childhood Association. This year, they’ve pledged to be ambassadors for Christ through our Membership program, as well as offering their Lenten sacri- fices to help the children in mission countries. These missionaries set a great example of how we can share our faith to the ends of the earth!

What are your students doing to fulfill their mandate to mission?? Have you prayed the rosary for children around the world? Learned about a new developing country? Planned a mission event or made a mission craft? Volunteered with a local organization? Send me stories/pictures to share with the Archdiocese!

Questions or Comments? Email me at [email protected] or call 410-625-8450 www.archbalt.org/missions