More than a decade before Pauline Jaricot envisioned the idea for the Propagation of the Faith, a young French Nobleman--Charles de Forbin-Janson--was ordained a priest. His goal was to work with and for the poorest of the world's children in the Missions of his day, such as China.

One day in 1843, now Bishop Forbin-Janson had a talk with Pauline Jaricot about his longtime dream. In the course of the conversation, she suggested that he appeal to the children of France to help children around the world--and the Holy Childhood Association (HCA) was born.

Today, the Holy Childhood Association continues to follow the vision of Bishop Forbin-Janson--"children helping children." After learning about the great needs of the world's poorest children, young people are invited to pray and offer financial help so that children in Asia, Africa, the Pacific and Caribbean Islands as well as Latin America may know Christ and experience His love and care.

HCA offers young Catholics an opportunity to grow in faith through mission education, sacrifice and service for others. The Holy Childhood Association makes a difference in the lives of children throughout the world by bringing them Jesus' message of hope, love and peace.

Programs

Membership: For $1.25 each, students become members of "HCA Club" with that students receive a membership card, bookmark prayer card, and a subscription to the "It's Our World" newsletter. This newsletter contains mission news for students and connects them to their brother and sisters in the Developing World. Also, teachers will receive a Membership Program Guide with activities, stories from the missions and prayer services for each grade level.

Advent: This program helps children prepare for Christmas by teaching them how to make the season more meaningful by offering prayers and sacrifices. With this program you will receive coin boxes or folders, a classroom poster and the Advent Program Guide for teachers.

Lent: Children prepare for Easter and learn the way of the Cross through the Lenten program. With this program you will receive coin boxes or folders, a classroom poster, a Lenten program guide for teachers, a Lenten Spiritual Journal for students that provides a 40 days reflection/activity program based on daily scriptures for the Lenten season and Mission Stations of the Cross.

Christmas Artwork Contest and Cards: In this program children enter an artwork contest that illustrates scenes from the Nativity. 24 winners will be chosen and their artwork will be displayed on Christmas cards. The cards can be purchased and sold for $7.00 a box. Also the cards will appear on our website where children can use them as e-greetings.

HCA Around the World: This program has been redesigned as a resource for teachers who will increase awareness of geography, social studies and most importantly it will teach children the responsibility to share their faith through prayer, personal sacrifice and financial help. This program comes with two large maps and a globe coin bank. Children will learn about one mission country at a time while collecting money for that country and then recieve a flag decal of that country.

Prayer Week: Students are given a large poster size prayer and are asked to pray it every day of prayer week which is one week in March. The students are then asked to fill out a post card saying how many student prayed. This is a great way for students to fulfill their baptismal mandate of being a missionary by simply praying.

Contact Us

For more information, please visit the national HCA site at www.worldmissions-catholicchurch.org/hca/DesktopDefault.aspx.