Missionary Childhood Association

Getting Started with MCA

By Baptism, every child is invited to participate in the Missionary Childhood Association. As one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies, the Missionary Childhood Association seeks to help all children develop a missionary spirit through their prayerful and sacrificial support of children in the Church's mission dioceses.

Letter of Invitation from Archbishop Rozanski

Letter of Invitation from Bishop Rivituso

Sign Up!

By signing up, you will receive the monthly MCA resources directly by email. New resources are posted at the beginning of each month from September - May that foster children's understanding of being a missionary disciple. such as a missionary saint, country, prayers and more! These can be used as a family or in the school setting.

You will also have the ability to request additional resources, such as mite boxes, rosaries, bookmarks, and posters that are all made available for FREE to help foster missionary animation.

If you are signing up for your school or parish, you will serve as the liaison between the school/parish and the Mission Office.

Monthly Resources

Resources for October

Access the entire collection of resources:

ALL MONTHLY RESOURCES

International Newsletter

Every quarter, the International office releases a newsletter about the workings of the Missionary Childhood around the world. Check it out below!

Excerpt from June 2023

St. John Paul II's Message to the Missionary Childhood Association (2003)

"Let us pray that a greater number of children put at the service of the Gospel not just one period of their lives, but their whole existence. Likewise, we ask God to multiply everywhere the charitable activity of the Missionary Childhood."

International Newsletter

About the Missionary Childhood Association

“Age is not an obstacle to the achievement of sanctity and children can highlight it with their testimony of piety, fidelity and love for God.” Sister Roberta Tremarelli, AMSS, Secretary General of the Pontifical Society of the Missionary Childhood

The Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) is one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies and is active in more than 150 countries throughout the world! Established in 1843, the MCA's goal is to gather prayers and sacrifices for children in mission dioceses, following founder Bishop Charles de Gorbin-Janson's motto of "Children Helping Children."

What is unique about the MCA is that it is not just about children in the U.S. praying and giving to children in mission dioceses; it is about ALL children praying and sacrificing for other children around the world. As our children in the U.S. pray and give for those in other parts of the world, those children do the same for them; in this, a relationship of giving and receiving is created. Through praying, sacrificing, and learning about other children around the world, children develop a missionary spirit. In our Baptism, all of us are called to be missionaries, no matter the age.

"In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God have become missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization." Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium 120

Schedule a Visit or Presentation

Visits and presentations are always available for teaching about the MCA. Just contact our office at [email protected]!

World Mission Rosary

The World Mission Rosary was developed by Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith from 1950 to 1966). Each of the five decades is a different color to represent areas of the world where the Church continues her evangelizing mission. Free pamphlets and world mission rosaries can be obtained through contacting our office. This pamphlet is also available in Spanish.

Thanks to our many volunteers throughout the archdiocese who make these world mission rosaries, we are able to offer them for free! If you are interested in being a volunteer, please contact our office.

Christmas Artwork Contest

The Missionary Childhood Association Christmas Artwork Contest is open to all Catholic school, parish school of religion, and homeschooled students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Twenty-two different illustrations will be chosen as winners, as well as two grand-prize winners whose artwork will be the official National Christmas card of the Pontifical Mission Societies.

What happens when you win?

Winning artwork will be available as e-greetings on the website of the National Office of the Pontifical Mission Societies during the Advent Season. Additionally, all winners will receive a commemorative plaque and will be celebrated at an event in the Advent Season by the National Office.

Within the Archdiocese of St. Louis, winners will be recognized at World Mission Sunday Mass, as well as have their artwork displayed at the Cardinal Rigali Center during the Advent/Christmas Seasons.