Saturday, 12th July 2025
St. Arnold Janssen Parish – Zone Five, Ariwa
Holy Childhood Missionary Competition
On Saturday, 12th July 2025, we joyfully organized the first-ever Holy Childhood Missionary Competition at St. Arnold Janssen Parish. Due to the large number of children participating, we moved the event to the nearby primary school, which offered more space to celebrate both the Holy Mass and the competition.
This event was a special moment for both refugee children and local children from all the chapels of Zone Five (Ariwa). During the Mass, we invited the children to pray for the missions in our parish and settlement, and to lift up prayers for all children around the world.
After the Mass, the competition began with vibrant and joyful performances. The children danced, sang, and presented with great enthusiasm, giving thanks to the Lord our God, and honoring St. Arnold Janssen and the 150th Jubilee Anniversary of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). It was clear that they had prepared with care and dedication. Through their performances, they reminded us of the missionary spirit, the teachings of our founder, and the importance of this Jubilee year.
At the conclusion of the event, we awarded prizes to the participants and shared a warm lunch together. The children ate, laughed, and shared fun stories, creating a beautiful atmosphere of unity and joy.
Through this missionary activity, we aim to help the children grow as faithful members of the Catholic Church, responsible students, and loving members of their families. At the same time, we shared the missionary spirit of the Church and the missions the SVD and SSpS congregations with all who attended and witnessed the event.
We give heartfelt thanks:
To our Holy Childhood members for their zealous participation,
To our benefactors for their continued prayers and support,
And most importantly, to the Lord our God, for His constant love, protection, and mercy.
