Local students support the Holy Child Association

By Jordan McMorrough
Today’s Catholic

Sister Carmen Palacios and St. James the Apostle students know the meaning of generosity, after organizing numerous fund-raising events for HCA.
Photo provided

    The Holy Childhood Association (HCA), founded in 1843 by French Bishop Charles de Forben-Janson, is a worldwide organization dedicated to meeting the needs of children.
    Today, the organization with the tradition of “Children Helping Children” operates under the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.
    Participation in HCA fosters prayer and the sharing of resources whereby children can be donors and beneficiaries simultaneously.
    In the Archdiocese of San Antonio, students approach fund-raising for HCA with a lot of energy and tremendous zeal.

    At the end of the 2003-2004 school year, the top schools included St. James the Apostle —$5,000; St. John Bosco — $1,669.57; St. Gregory the Great — $1,295.21 and St. Matthew — $1,215.87.
More than 20 schools participated in the HCA program.
    Mary Wisniewski, director of the archdiocese’s Mission Awareness Office, is gratified to know how many students willingly participate in the HCA, a way to combine faith and good works.
    Two schools in San Antonio — St. James the Apostle and St. Gregory the Great — shared a few fund-raising tactics and projects that generated more than a few dollars for the HCA last year.
    As part of the Lenten season activities, the 650 students at St. Gregory the Great School fasted on Fridays from soda and snack machines.

    Martie Kokotajlo, liturgy coordinator, helped the students organize this activity. The students, from kindergarten through eighth grade, deposited their savings in their individual HCA collection boxes. Before each Friday morning liturgy, they had another collection.
    St. James the Apostle students, under the guidance of their sixth grade teacher Sister Carmen Palacios, FMA, wowed Wisniewski with their fund-raising results.
    The total amount of $5,000 was raised through four events:
     • Students sold tacos in the morning. Sister Carmen and Sister Josephine Lopez, FMA, made 60 tacos a night, from September through May. Additional support came from Martin and Irma (alumna) Bijarro of M&I Meat Market who donated the taco essentials.
     • The students staged a talent show that featured 32 acts, skits and performances.
     • Movie tickets were sold.
     • A raffle was held. Grand prize was a nine-person sleepover at the Salesian Sisters convent, which was won by the fourth grade class.
     Sister Carmen, assisted by Melinda Uranga, the school’s health coordinator, and the students would, at the end of each month, pore over the amounts raised, strategize and encourage more participation.
     For more information on the Holy Childhood Association, call the Mission Awareness Office at (210) 734-2620 Ext. 144.