Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nancy (Fides Service) – Last weekend 31 May – June 1, the Pontifical Mission Society of Missionary Childhood (MC) held special celebrations in Nancy and Lisieux, France, to mark the 160th anniversary of its foundation. Among the special guests also from Rome Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, President of the Pontifical Mission Societies and Rev. Father Byrne SVD General Secretary of Missionary Childhood, as well as MC delegates from many countries. The society began as Holy Childhood and it was started in 1843 by Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson of Nancy to foster missionary animation among children in aid of other less fortunate children. Today the society is widely known as Missionary Childhood and it is present in 115 different countries. “It is amazing to see how initiatives of missionary animation among children differ from country to country” says Mgr Pilz, National Director in Germany where the Society is known as SternSingers. He recalls that in 2006 they will celebrate the 160th anniversary of Missionary Childhood in Germany. “It will give us an opportunity to make our work known to a wider public” says Mgr Pilz with regard to the anniversary. On Sunday June 1 over 2,500 Missionary Children from Scotland, Spain, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, France and Germany gathered in Lisieux for a special Mass and a Missionary Childhood party. Lisieux is the birth place of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus, patroness of missionary work. MS (Fides Service 4/6/2003 EM lines 19 Words: 234)
