It was August of 1999 when my pastor, who was also the Diocesan Mission Director for Allentown, Pennsylvania, asked if I was interested in a part-time job with what was then called the Holy Childhood Association, now the Missionary Childhood Association. The position had been vacant for some time; my first task was to clean off a desk that was a bit of a dumping ground for the rest of the office. I (wrongly) assumed that buried in the mess would be the materials I needed to do the job properly.

For support, I turned to my prayer group, a diverse assembly of women who came together weekly for one purpose -- to pray the rosary. (OK, the coffee and snacks afterwards were nice, too!) Our members were from all stages of life and from many different countries. We brainstormed about how to present to elementary-aged students the basic idea that as baptized Catholics, we are all called to share the Good News with other people, no matter our age or our country.

One woman asked, "What's a commonality for them?" We all responded, "The Blessed Mother!"

From there, Our Lady led me to an incredible experience at my very first school presentation for the missions.

One of my prayer sisters lent me a large statue of Mary from Vietnam -- Our Lady of La Vang. Another lent me a statue of the Blessed Mother from Puerto Rico -- she's not an approved apparition, but local people in Sabana Grande have a great devotion to her.

Upon my arrival at the school, the principal warned me that the students were quite split in their friendships; the Vietnamese children stuck together, as did the Hispanic ones. I began my presentation by introducing the two very different-looking statues of Mary. What did they have in common? It didn't take long for them to get to the core of things. She talks about peace; we pray for her help; she loves us; she leads us to Jesus.

The idea that Mary would appear to people looking like they do was a familiar one. Many of the Vietnamese children had just returned home from celebrating the anniversary of Mary's appearance in La Vang. The Hispanic children at the school were Puerto Rican -- Our Lady of Sabana Grande was so well known to them; some said their grandparents had been present at the apparition in the 1950's that still seeks Church approval.

How did this point the children to the missions? They learned that through their shared faith, they could help other children know Mary, no matter what she looked like, and she would lead them all to Jesus.



- Maureen Crowley Heil is Director of Programs and Development for the Pontifical Mission Societies, Boston.