LA Catholic Students Raise Over $72,900 for Underserved Children Worldwide

Thousands of Catholic school students across the Los Angeles Archdiocese have raised over $72,925.64 through the Missionary Childhood Association, supporting underserved children worldwide. The funds were collected during the 2025-26 school year, with students from 39 Catholic schools recognized at a special Mass held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Archbishop José H. Gomez will preside over the 2026 Missionary Childhood Association Youth Appreciation Mass, which will take place on Wednesday. Auxiliary Bishop Matthew Elshoff will serve as a concelebrant. The event, scheduled from 9:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., will honor the students’ efforts and celebrate the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday, with this year’s theme being “One in Christ, United in Mission.”

The fundraising efforts have supported various initiatives, including a nutrition program in the Vicariate of Inirida, Colombia. This program provides regular meals for 200 preschool-age children in remote Amazon communities, where food insecurity is a significant challenge. The archdiocese highlighted the importance of such programs in addressing global needs through the Church’s missionary work.

The Mass will also feature a second-class relic of Blessed Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, a piece of his vestment, which will be available for veneration. Sheen, declared blessed in September, was actively involved with the Pontifical Mission Societies from 1950 to 1966, promoting awareness of the Church’s global missionary efforts.

Two students will be recognized for their artwork in the National Missionary Childhood Association Christmas Artwork Contest. Jewel Diep, an eighth-grader, and Matilda Huizar, a fourth-grader, will receive framed prints of their work, with the originals displayed at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., during Advent.

Three winners of the Lay Mission-Helpers Association’s essay contest will each receive a $500 Msgr. Brouwers Memorial Scholarship, recognizing their understanding of the importance of missionary work. The event will conclude with a dance party on the cathedral plaza and interactive exhibits by missionary organizations, offering attendees a chance to engage with the Church’s global outreach efforts.

The Missionary Childhood Association continues to play a vital role in connecting Catholic youth with the Church’s mission of service and compassion, reflecting the call to love one’s neighbor as oneself, as seen in Micah 6:8.

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