Children reach out to children

By ANH HOANG
WCR Staff Writer
Sherwood Park

"It's for them to be aware of the universality of the Church," said Marjorie Mather, assistant principal at Jean Vanier School in Sherwood Park. "They know they're not the only ones in this world; there are other people in other parts of the world."

The money was presented to Collins during the Holy Childhood Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church May 3. The 157-year-old Holy Childhood Association encourages school children to raise funds for their Third World counterparts.

"It's children helping each other," said Spiritan Father Michael Troy, director of the association in Edmonton. "Children are more aware of things they have in Canada.

"They are more aware of what is going on in the world. People are being more generous, families are being more conscious of people in other countries."

In his homily, Collins called the money raised by the students part of their Christian mission.

"We have a mission, we have a purpose to help other people. That's what gives us excitement as Christians."

He called the students not only to help financially, but to also evangelize those in need, abroad and in their own communities.

"Bring Jesus to those who don't know him," Collins said. "We should do it here, to bring Jesus to the person next to us. There is an old saying, 'You may be the only Bible that your neighbour reads.'"

Money raised from the students goes towards projects such as nurseries, schools, maternity hospitals and other child-related projects in developing countries. This is the second year the Mass was celebrated in the archdiocese.

Students raised money during Lent through fundraising events or by giving up their snack money for a day. But the focus is not only financial, said Mather.

"We also have prayer cards," she said. "There's also a spiritual aspect to it."

Participating schools included St. Elizabeth, St. Catherine, St. Gabriel, St. Justin and Sir John Thompson schools in Edmonton, St. Anthony School in Drayton Valley, Pope John XXIII Elementary School in Fort Saskatchewan, Notre Dame Elementary School in Leduc, Ecole Marie Poburan, J.J. Nearing and Vital Grandin elementary schools in St. Albert, Father Kenneth Kearns, Jean Vanier, St. Luke and St. Theresa schools in Sherwood Park and John Paul II School in Stony Plain.

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