By Father Paul Kam Po-wai
The Diocesan Committee for the Development of Children Ministry was set up after the diocese sent eight children to Rome last year for the first World Children’s Day. For this Jubilee Year, the committee has organised a series of studies, pilgrimages, celebrations, activities and services to help children and their families to live the year in a good way, so that love and hope can start from the family and spread to those around them, especially the poor and the weak in the community.
On February 9, we organised a pilgrimage and formation for Sunday School catechists at St. Andrew’s Church, Tseung Kwan O. The purpose was for the catechists to understand our missions, to discuss with us and walk with the children on this pilgrimage of hope.
The most special thing about this experience was that the catechists from different parishes were able to come together to talk and share. More than 50 catechists from 25 parishes attended that day. It was a beautiful occasion and a valuable opportunity as they always work in their own parishes and rarely have the opportunity to communicate with catechists of other parishes. It is wonderful to see how they were able to learn from and encourage one another and the experience was good.
On March 2, we held a launching and commissioning ceremony of “Ambassadors of Hope” at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Shek Kip Mei. More than 260 people participated in the event, including those from 25 parishes, 93 children, 88 parents, 50 catechists and more than 30 volunteers.
After the ceremony, the children and parents attended separate gatherings: the children participated in a “Journey of Hope” programme accompanied by the catechists, while the parents participated in a talk titled, “Who am I”. This was followed by a guided pilgrimage, and finally a commissioning ceremony.
The “Journey of Hope” programme consisted of a series of games showing the importance of communication, cooperation, sharing and action. They were also the messages of the gospel story of “Five Loaves and Two Fishes” read in the commissioning ceremony, in which Jesus performed the miracle of feeding 5,000 men, their wives and children.
Between Jesus, the disciples, the boy and the crowds, there is a lot of communication and cooperation. Most importantly, it is about sharing and action as the boy was willing to give Jesus all the five loaves of bread and two fish that he had. If we are all willing to share, the world will become a more beautiful and loving place, and more miracles will happen.
Parents at the talk were invited to reflect on their identities, realising that they are God’s creation [Psalm 139:14], God’s children [1 John 3:1], who are precious in God’s sight [Isaiah 43:4], strong [Philippians 4:13], healed [Mark 5:34], forgiven [Mark 2:5], fearless [Romans 8:35], and hopeful in the Lord [Jeremiah 29:11].
At the end of the ceremony, the children walked out of the chapel with their parents and entered the “Door of Hope”, which symbolised the need to walk into the heart of Jesus, into the community, and to different corners of the world, spreading love and hope.
