A Moment For The Missions With Thanks for joining MCA for this month’s journey!

In this month of February, when we begin our Lenten These “MCA Moments” are opportunities this month to: journey, the Childhood Association (MCA) offers a “moment for the Missions” for each day of this month. There are opportunities to learn, to pray, to act, to reflect and discuss, and to stand in solidarity with children and families in the ’s missions. These reflect / learn take pray stand “moments” can be part of a program discuss action in solidarity – in person or remote – or be the focus of family life on a particular day.

FEBRUARY - MON FEBRUARY - TUE FEBRUARY - WED 01I 02I 03I National Freedom Day Presentation of the Lord St. Blaise Read about the presentation of Jesus Learn more about this at this in St. Luke’s Gospel. link – and about his connection to the How is Jesus a “light” in your life? blessing of throats! Pray that the light of Jesus reach children in the Pope’s missions. Lincoln signed the document that outlawed slavery on February 1, 1865. This would become the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Let us pray today for freedom for all peoples throughout our world.

FEBRUARY - THU FEBRUARY - FRI FEBRUARY - SAT The World Mission Rosary was envisioned by Venerable Servant of Archbishop Fulton John Sheen in 1951, then the national director of the Society 04I 05I for the Propagation of the Faith. He made the request 06I Feed the Children Pray a decade of the on his radio show (The Catholic Hour) that his St. Paul Miki & listeners “embrace the world in prayer.” To do so he Children and their families in the World Mission Rosary introduced this Rosary, with different colors for each Companions Missions go without meals. for Africa decade representing each of the five continents. With your family, learn how Green reminds us of the forests and grasslands of are helping Africa.

them – and how you can too! We begin our journey around the world in prayer this month with Africa. As we pray a decade of the Rosary, let us focus our prayers on children and families in need on this continent.

Learn more about these missionary at this link. Pray for all who today are persecuted for their faith in Jesus.

FEBRUARY - SUN FEBRUARY - MON FEBRUARY - TUE

07I 08I 09I “If I were born a thousand times, Say a prayer for told God’s people to love God missionary priests, and keep His commandments, and they I would go back on mission a religious Sisters would be blessed. thousand times.” and Brothers. BLESSED ALFREDO CREMONESI, MISSIONARY PRIEST AND MARTYR

How do you see yourself as a missionary today?

Reflect on the Ten Commandments as found in the Book of Exodus.

FEBRUARY - WED FEBRUARY - THU FEBRUARY - FRI 10I 11I 12I Pray a decade of the World Day of the Sick Craft Day World Mission Rosary for Today, the Feast of Our Lady of the Americas Lourdes, is the World Day of the Sick. Each decade of the World Mission Learn how the Pope’s missions reach Rosary is a different color representing out to those in need of healing. Pray each of the five continents. Red calls for their work and offer help as you can. to mind the fire of faith that brought missionaries to the Americas, including the United States.

We continue our journey around the world in prayer with Make Valentine’s Day cards with the Americas. As we pray a decade of the Rosary, let us your family for neighbors in need focus our prayers on children and families in need on this of a loving message. continent.

FEBRURY - SAT FEBRUARY - SUN FEBRUARY - MON 13I 14I 15I Deliver your Message Valentine’s Day Presidents’ Day Place those Valentine’s Day messages Lord, God of Abraham, God of in the mailboxes of those neighbors! the Prophets, God of Love, You created us and You call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. FROM ’ Offer a gift, out of love for God and your PRAYER FOR PEACE neighbor half a world away, for a child in need in the Pope’s missions.

FEBRUARY - TUE FEBRUARY - WED FEBRUARY - THU Learn more about Ash Wednesday – and pledge to be a missionary 16I 17I each day of Lent. 18I ‘Fat Tuesday’ Ash Wednesday On this day before Lent begins, when Your Lenten Journey begins today. we may feast before tomorrow’s fasting While we may not receive ashes and abstinence, pray for children and in the same way this year - families in the Pope’s missions who go including their being a cross without food. on our foreheads - the meaning of these ashes remains the same.

Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These three practices form the heart of the Lenten Season. How will you add almsgiving for children in the Pope’s missions to your Lenten journey this year?

FEBRUARY - FRI FEBRUARY - SAT FEBRUARY - SUN 19I 20I 21I Pray a decade of the World Give to the Local Food First Sunday of Lent Mission Rosary for Europe Pantry Each decade of the World Mission Rosary Gather a grocery bag of is a different color representing each of food items to give to your the five continents. White symbolizes local food pantry, returning Europe, the home of our Holy Father, thanks to God for all Pope Francis. His goodness.

We continue our journey around the world in prayer with Europe. As we pray a decade of the Rosary, let Reflect with your family on the readings us focus our prayers for children from today’s . What messages and families on this continent, and do you hear from God? What do they say for Pope Francis. about your call to be His missionaries?.

FEBRUARY - MON FEBRUARY - TUE FEBRUARY - WED

22I 23I 24I Feast of the Chair of St. Peter Pretzels and Lent. Pray a decade of the Learn how they are connected in World Mission Rosary this resource. With help from for Asia an adult, try the recipe. Each decade of the World Mission Rosary is a different color representing each of the five continents. Yellow symbolizes the morning light which rises in the East.

We continue our journey around the world in prayer with Asia. As we pray a decade of the Learn more about why we celebrate Rosary, let us focus our prayers for children this feast at this link. and families on this continent. Pray for today’s successor to St. Peter, Pope Francis

FEBRUARY - THU FEBRUARY - FRI FEBRUARY - SAT 25I 26I 27I A Lenten “word search” Pray a decade of the World Mission Madonnas for a Thursday. Mission Rosary for Oceania

Each decade of the World Mission Rosary is a different color representing each of the five continents. Blue recalls the waters surrounding the Islands of the Pacific (Oceania). We conclude our journey around the world in prayer with the Islands of the Pacific. As we Learn more about how communities pray a decade of the Rosary, around the world and our Blessed let us focus our prayers for Mother in this resource. In this children and families in need moment, pray to Mary for children in this part of our world. and families in the Missions.

FEBRUARY - SUN 28I Second Sunday of Lent

Reflect with your family on the readings from today’s Mass. What messages do you hear from God? What do they say about your call to be His missionaries?

photo credits: February 1 (Jason Krieger), February 2 (Fathih Latheef), February 3 (Franciscan Media), February 5 (James Coleman), February 6 (Franciscan Media), February 9 (Samantha Sophia), February 10 (Dorian Cochrane), February 11 (Franciscan Media), February 12 (Element5 Digital), February 13 (Sophie Louisnard), February 15 (Sophia Simoes), February 16 (Annie Sprat), February 17 (Grant Whitty), February 18 (Ashkan Forouzani), February 19 (Therese Westby), February 20 (Marisol Benitez), February 21 (Kiwihug), February 22 (Kai Pilger), February 23 (Marcus Spiske), February 24 (Marco Ceschi), February 25 (Elizaveta Dushechkina), February 26 (Maya Gm), February 27 (Gabriella Clare Marino), February 28 (Jimmy Dean).