The Pontifical Association of the Holy Childhood ( la, Pontificium Opus a Sancta Infantia) or Missionary Childhood Association, is a Catholic children's association for the benefit of foreign missions. It is one of four
Pontifical Mission Societies
The Pontifical Mission Societies, known in some countries as Missio, is the name of a group of Catholic missionary societies that are under the jurisdiction of the Pope. These organizations include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, t ...
and is dedicated to fostering children’s awareness of the missionary nature of the Church.
["Holy Childhood Association", Diocese of Camden]
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Foundation
In 1843 Charles de Forbin-Janson, Bishop of Nancy
The Diocese of Nancy and Toul (Latin: ''Dioecesis Nanceiensis et Tullensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Nancy et de Toul'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in France. After a considerable political strugg ...
, France, established the Association of the Holy Childhood (''Association de la Sainte Enfance''). Forbin-Janson sought a way to assist missionaries in China who had written for help. On the advice of Pauline Jaricot
Pauline-Marie Jaricot (22 July 1799 – 9 January 1862) was a French member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She also was the founder of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and the Association of the Living Rosary, Pope John XXIII rat ...
, who had founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith some twenty years before, he established a children’s charity to provide assistance to children in foreign lands.Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
, by a brief of 18 July 1856, raised it to the rank of a canonical institution
''Canonical institution'' (from the Latin , from , to establish) is a technical term of the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, meaning in practice an institution having full recognition and status within the Church.
Benefices
In its widest ...
, gave it a Cardinal protector, and requested all bishops to introduce it in their diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...
s. Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...
, in the encyclical letter
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Roman Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop. The word comes from the Late Latin (originally from ...
''Sancta Dei civitas'' (3 December 1890), blessed it and recommended it again to the bishops.[Willms, John. "Association of the Holy Childhood." The Catholic Encyclopedia]
Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 7 Sept.ember 2021
The affairs of the association were managed by an international council at Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, consisting of fifteen priests and as many laymen. This general council had an exclusive right of general direction and of the distribution of the society's funds.[
French Catholic missionaries were active in China; they were funded by appeals in French churches for money. The Holy Childhood Association was a target of Chinese anti-Christian protests notably in the ]Tianjin Massacre
The Tientsin Massacre (), was an attack on Christian missionaries and converts in the late 19th century during the late Qing dynasty. 60 people died in attacks on French Catholic priests and nuns. There was intense belligerence from French diploma ...
of 1870. Rioting sparked by false rumors of the killing of babies led to the death of a French consul and provoked a diplomatic crisis.
Later history
The association was probably established in the United States by Bishop Forbin-Janson himself. Several agencies in the East and West managed its affairs for about fifty years. On 1 January 1893, the work was concentrated into one central agency and confided to the Holy Ghost Fathers
, image = Holy Ghost Fathers seal.png
, size = 175px
, caption = The seal of the Congregation depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Trinity.
, abbreviation ...
, with headquarters in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
. Father Anthony J. Zielenbach, C.S.Sp., was its first central director for about four years; he was succeeded by Father John Willms
John S. Willms, C.S.Sp. (March 22, 1849 – January 3, 1914) was a German Roman Catholic priest in the Congregation of the Holy Ghost. He worked in a missionary capacity among the Catholic population in the United States, serving as the second r ...
, C.S.Sp. The ''Annals of the Holy Childhood'' was published bi-monthly and issued in a number of languages.[
In 1922 the Association received the official title of “Pontifical” work, and the central administration was transferred to Rome. National offices exist now in more than 120 countries.
In the United States, membership is largely made up of students in Catholic elementary schools and religious education programs, and those homeschooled.][ In 2013 the Holy Childhood Association in the United States changed its name to the ''Missionary Childhood Association'' (MCA), although the previous name is still used is some dioceses for the time being.][ The National office is in New York City.
]
Mission Together
In England and Wales, the Society is known today as Mission Together, and has been active in Catholic schools for over a hundred and sixty years.
The organization encourages children worldwide to pray and share, while also supporting both the spiritual and physical wellbeing of children through prayer and pastoral care.[ Through the financial contributions of children it carries out educational, medical and welfare projects in the poorest areas of the world.
]
References
;Attribution
Further reading
* Harrison, Henrietta. "'A Penny for the Little Chinese': The French Holy Childhood Association in China, 1843–1951." ''American Historical Review'' 113.1 (2008): 72-92
online
External links
HCA Kids
(Children's website)
Mission Together
(United Kingdom)
(Pope Leo XIII's letter on Mission Societies)
(The Vatican)
{{Authority control
Catholic lay organisations
Christian missionary societies