Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) – On May 27, at Warsaw’s John Paul II Museum, a gathering for children of the Holy Childhood Association was held with representatives from the city’s grammar schools. A report on the event was sent to Fides by Msgr. Jan Piotrowski, National Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies in Poland. During the encounter, there was a time of song and games for the children, as well as a theatrical performance on the history of the Holy Childhood Association and its progress over these past 150 years in Poland and in the world. Later, there was a press conference attended by National Director Msgr. Jan Piotrowski, National Secretary for the Holy Childhood Association, Ms. Anna Sobiech, and Sr. Joanna Lenmdzion, OP who served as HCA National Secretary for 6 years and for the past two years has been working as a missionary in Oruro (Bolivia). Children from Zambia also participated, accompanied by their teachers (two sisters of Zambian background and 2 Salesian missionaries from Poland who work in the country, who also visited the PMS headquarters in Warsaw.) The Polish children were very excited about the encounter, as they have better understood this missionary dimension of the Church and of their personal missionary commitment. This encounter has taken place in preparation for the upcoming 7th National Missionary Congress, which will take place June 6-7, 2008 in Krakow Lagiewniki (Krakow), under the patronage of Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the city’s Archbishop. According to the report from Msgr. Jan Piotrowski, during the Congress, the children will pray for the Holy Father Benedict XVI and for all children throughout the world, especially for the children of Mongolia, for whom they will take up a collection. Preparations for the Congress have been underway for 9 months now. The event will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the HCA in Poland. Thus, the National Director affirms, “we ask that all who share these same missions and ideals to pray because, as the Holy Father said, prayer is the place where hope begins and that hope is what the children of the world await.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 30/5/2008)
