MORE THAN 3,000 STUDENTS TO JOIN ARCHBISHOP GOMEZ AT CATHEDRAL FOR NATION’S LARGEST CHILDREN’S MASS
October 15, 2014  |  By:   |  Press Releases  |  

Missionary Childhood Association Mass celebrates students who raise awareness, funds for children in 90+ countries

More than 3,000 children will fill the pews of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple Street, on Oct.15, from 9:45 a.m. to 12 p.m., for the 12th annual Los Angeles Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) Mass, the nation’s largest Children’s Mass. Archbishop José Gomez will preside at the Mass.

The archdiocesan Mission Office hosts the annual liturgy to celebrate the contributions by local youth who help underserved children of the world.

Concelebrant Monsignor Terry L. Fleming, director of the Mission Office, will join Archbishop Gomez at the altar. Students from 54 Catholic elementary, junior high and high schools from throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles are expected to attend the Mass, which will be followed by a dance party on the Cathedral’s Plaza.

The MCA is one of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States that helps raise awareness

among local children about their peers’ needs in countries with development disadvantages. Throughout the 2013-2014 school year, students held fundraisers for children in more than 90 countries pre-selected by the Pontifical Missions Office in Rome.

During the Mass, the top 15 fundraising schools and Christmas artwork winners will be recognized. The winner’s art will be exhibited in December at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Other winners to be honored include three Lay Mission Helpers scholarship recipients who wrote an essay about the importance of faith-based missionary work to support the poor abroad.

“This celebration is our way to thank our local students for supporting the Mission Childhood Association Program,” said Lydia Gamboa, Mission Office’s associate director. “During the year we ask the children for their prayers and financial support for other children in the missions.”

Live webcast will be available by visiting http://archla.org/live

RECAP

 What: Missionary Childhood Association Mass

When: October 15, from 9:45 a.m. to noon.

Who: Thousands of students, guardians and faculty from Catholic elementary, junior high and high schools from the three counties (Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles) within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Where: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, 90012              METRO: Red line, Civic Center stop.