Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Warsaw (Agenzia Fides) - The Polish branch of the Pontifical Society of Holy Childhood now present in every diocese will send the proceedings of its annual Christmas fund raising campaign Kolednicy Misyjni, to children victims of last year’s tsunami disaster in Indonesia. The aim of Holy Childhood is to increase awareness among children with regard to the difficult conditions of children all over the world and to encourage them to help their less fortunate peers. Last year the funds collected were sent to children in Haiti.
The Holy Childhood Christmas campaign Kolednicy Misyjni, now in its 13th edition, says national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Poland Fr. Jan Piotrowski, started in the south, gradually spread over the country and was launched as a national event in 1993. Last year the campaign was held in 39 of Poland’s 42 dioceses. This year Bishop Wiktor Skworc President of the Bishops’ Commission for Missions wrote to every Bishop in Poland asking him to organise a campaign in his diocese. The initiative was also presented at a press conference on 14 December organised by the PMS national office held to spread awareness, Fr. Francisco Kapu SVD, missionary native Indonesia who works in Poland was among those present.
The campaign is launched in parishes at the beginning of Advent by catechists and Holy Childhood animators with the help of leaflets issued by the PMS national office. From December 26 to January 6 the children go in groups of five with a catechists from house to house dressed in costumes to perform a short play on the birth of Jesus and collect offerings. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 16/12/2005, righe 19, parole 268)
