Mission : Possible Art Contest

Immaculate Conception 6th Grade

As this school year began, a joint effort of the Office for Mission Education and Animation, the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and the Office of Catholic Schools introduced Mission: Possible, an art contest to help animate youth to mission. Packets of information and resour ces to introduce children to the idea were sent to all teachers in Grades 3-8, offering them a “Mission” (if they chose to accept it) of working together as a class to create an art project or video depicting how they are the hands and feet of Christ in the world today. The theme of this contest was derived from the prayer of St. Theresa of Avila:

Hands and Feet of Christ - Incarnation Parish School Grade 4

Christ Has No Body But Yours

Christ has no body but yours, 
No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. 

First and foremost  to instill in children a realization that they are, even now, called to be missionaries of the Gospel in their homes, schools and communities as well as to broaden the perspective of children in realizing that their call to mission is both local and global in focus.

Second to work together as a class as the new year began and focus on the meaning of mission in their daily lives.

Infant Jesus of Prague Grade 7

Fifty-four entries from twenty-nine Archdiocesan Schools were submitted by the October 3rd deadline. Each was judged by three separate judges who looked for meaning and understanding of mission as well as artistic display. After very difficult decisions by our judges two winners in each category (Gr. 3-5 and Gr. 6-8) were chosen – one for an art project and one for the video presentation. An Honorable Mention was also given. To see more pictures, click here!

Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish School Grade 5

The winners are:

Category 3-4-5 Project – Grade 4 St Agnes School -  Chicago Heights, IL

Category 3-4-5 Video – Grade 5 St. Zachary School – Des Plaines, IL

Category 6-7-8 Project – Grade 6  Bridgeport Catholic Academy – Chicago, IL

Category 6-7-8 Video – Grade 7 Prince of Peace School – Lake Villa, IL               

Category 6-7-8 Project - Honorable Mention – Grade 8 St Edward School - Chicago, IL

Children representing their class and their teacher were presented with a certificate of honor at the Centennial Celebration Liturgy at Holy Name Cathedral on World Mission Sunday, Oct. 23rd.

Their art projects and videos will be displayed at the Maryknoll  Centennnial Celebration Display in New York until January 2012. A special gift and a class lunch in December will also be part of the winners’ celebration.

Thank you to all who participated, to all you helped to bring this project to fruition and all who brought it to a success for our children. In the future we hope more of our schools will join the Holy Childhood Association and the efforts of the Office for Mission Education and Animation to help instill a sense of mission in our children for they are the future missionaries of our Church!