Children's connection to the world was the emphasis at the annual Holy Childhood Association Mass celebrated Oct. 26 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

"In the past year," Msgr. Terrance Fleming told the 2,000-plus youth assembled in the Cathedral, "you helped children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and helped build 100 hope houses in Mexico, through your generosity. Thank you for being such wonderful missionaries of Christ in the world."

The Holy Childhood Association was begun more than a century ago "for kids to help kids around the world," noted Msgr. Fleming, director of the Mission Office of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, through which the activities of the HCA are administered in parish schools and religious education programs.

Pointing out the fact that the Cathedral was devoid of columns and pillars in order to create a warmer, more welcoming worship environment, Msgr. Fleming said it reflected Jesus' invitation in the day's Gospel reading to "let the children come to me. Jesus wanted to teach the children, and he wanted children to know that he was their friend."

In the same way, Msgr. Fleming said, "Our challenge as missionaries is to help everyone feel welcome. Jesus excluded no one; neither must we."

He again lauded the youth on their enthusiastic assistance, not merely through the HCA but year-round, notable in efforts to assist victims of the Gulf Coast area hurricanes. From St. Brendan Church, where he is pastor, Msgr. Fleming said a group of sixth graders decided on their own to journey one weekend to Manhattan Beach and sell cookies and lemonade as a fundraising project.

"They raised $1,200 that day to help the hurricane victims," he noted. "It indicates how generous the church of Los Angeles, and the youth of Los Angeles, have been."

At the end of the liturgy, Msgr. Fleming congratulated two students whose drawings were selected among 25 from across the country to be featured in HCA Christmas cards (formerly Christmas seals): fifth grader Nydia de La Cruz of St. Thomas Aquinas School in Monterey Park and eighth grader Wilson Huang of St. Stephen School in Monterey Park.

---Mike Nelson