Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bogota (Fides Service) - “The Cross of Jesus turned our poverty into wealth, our littleness into greatness, our self-giving into salvation”: this statement comes from a booklet ““Transformed by the Cross we proclaim Jesus” issued by the Pontifical Missionary Childhood Society in Colombia to help prepare children for the national Missionary Childhood Day in the month of May.
The handbook designed to help Missionary Childhood animators, uses simple language suitable for children. It is a collection of catechesis on various themes discussed by the Second American Mission Congress CAM 2, as a way of implementing among children the teaching and reflection which emerged during that universal missionary event in Guatemala in November 2003.
The guiding themes of the catechesis therefore follow the characteristics highlighted by CAM 2: littleness, poverty, donation and mission. The themes are developed in the form of a dialogue between the animator and the children. The first catechesis aims to help children realise the significance and great value of being the little ones of the Gospel, as they too are called to be, in order to bear witness to Christ in their own environment. The second catechesis helps children realise what it means to be poor, as the Gospel asks, and how this poverty rather than relieving us of missionary commitment renders us all the more suited to bear witness. The third catechesis focuses on donation, highlighting the value of witness to martyrdom. Lastly the fourth catechesis aims to help children understand what it means to be missionary and how they can be missionaries among boys and girls of their own age.
Each catechesis, which requires preparation of the place of the encounter with elements which recall and underlines the subject of catechesis, includes an opening hymn and a reflection with dialogue followed by discussion in small groups.
In his presentation of the booklet, Father Luis Eduardo Castaño, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Colombia says that starting from the vision of the death and Resurrection of Christ children will more easily understand God’s viewpoint which is so different from the life-style and thought of people today. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides 21/5/2004 - Righe 27 Parole 349).
