This article orginally appeared in the Autumn 2003 Home Mission News Newsletter.

Glenmary's Mission Office Assists Educators
to Instill 'Missionary Spirit' in Children

Children from Blessed Sacrament School in Midland, Mich., raised $425 to help Glenmary's Ackerman, Miss., mission build a much needed addition to their church.

To be Catholic is to be missionary. And Glenmary is committed to helping religious educators teach children of all ages just what that means. Glenmary’s Mission Office staff—Christina Fadden, Marian Kaiser and Father Gus Guppenberger—assist teachers and catechists in identifying ways that children can actively participate in sharing God’s love with the mission regions of the United States.

“It is wonderful to see how this mission spirit is being instilled in students in Catholic schools and religious education programs all around the country,” says Christina Fadden, coordinator of Glenmary’s Mission Office. “We really have some inventive teachers out there!”

At St. Thomas School in Ft. Thomas, Ky., kindergarten teacher Ruth Hubbard was inspired by the back cover of the spring 2003 issue of Glenmary Challenge which showed children in Andrews, N.C., enjoying books collected by third-graders at St. Jude School in Bridgetown, Ohio.

Realizing that children are never too young to develop a love for the missions, Ruth challenged her class to take on a similar outreach during Lent. She explained how many children in mission areas don’t have the things members of her class take for granted—and how we have a responsibility as Catholics to reach out.

The class decided to raise money by performing extra chores (e.g., feeding pets and reading to younger siblings) at 50 cents each. By Easter the kindergartners had collected $25 to send to Glenmary’s mission in Vanceburg, Ky.

“Our school stresses service and stewardship, and that it’s important to do things for others,” Ruth says.

“We teach children they’re all part of God’s family and that Catholics help other people,” says Dr. Anthony Novembre, director of religious education at St. Catherine School in Farmingdale, N.J. “Kids can relate to helping other people. They’re really moved when they realize that they’re working to help kids.”

About 600 children are involved in the religious education program at St. Catherine. Primary students are asked to perform simple tasks such as saving pennies. As their religious education progresses, they receive greater challenges. The seventh-grade confirmation class, for example, is sponsoring a Walk-a-Thon to raise money for Glenmary’s mission in Ripley, Miss. (The Farmingdale parish has adopted this Mississippi mission through Glenmary’s Adopt-a-Mission Program.)

The students at St. Theresa of Avila Regional School in Gonzales, La., have been Glenmary supporters since 1991. During Lent, attention to missions and mission work increases at St. Theresa. Throughout the season, children make donations to support Glenmary and six other mission organizations as well as the parish youth group’s mission trips. In 1991 the children donated $150 to Glenmary. In 2003 they raised over $7,000 for mission-related groups and activities, and donated $1,000 to Glenmary.

“We feel it’s important for the children to be aware they have a responsibility to the larger community,” says Sister Diane Dornan, principal of St. Theresa.

Glenmary’s Mission Office receives many calls from teachers and catechists looking for help in involving youth in mission. “Sometimes they’re asking for information about projects they can support,” says Christina Fadden. “Sometimes they’re looking for suggestions about services they can perform.” She gladly gives ideas on either, often simply passing on what other groups are doing:

• St. John the Baptist Church in Savage, Minn., is twinned with Glenmary’s mission in Houston, Miss. As part of St. John’s pledge of support, students at the parish school held a mission carnival.

• Third-graders at Our Lady of Refuge School in Orchard Lake, Mich., have donated the proceeds of their “Jeans Day” collection since 1998 to Glenmary. On the last Friday of each month, students pay a small sum for the privilege of wearing blue jeans rather than their school uniform.

• Students in the religious education program at Holy Trinity Church in Coldwater, Ohio, donate at least $5,500 to missionary work each year, including $500 to Glenmary. The money is raised through their Pennies for Mission program. Students are encouraged to forego treats and instead give the money to the missions. “I think we need to instill in our children an awareness of those less fortunate than ourselves,” says Virgil Lochtefeld, the parish director of religious education.

• The youth group at St. John the Baptist Church in Whiting, Ind., holds car washes, bake sales and flower sales to raise money. Ten percent of the money raised is donated to the missions.

“These mission-related activities in Catholic schools and religious education programs give children concrete experiences of ‘being missionary’ and being members of the Body of Christ,” Christina Fadden says. “Glenmary is proud to play a role in that.”