December 8, 2017

Mass, exhibit honor winners of national Christmas art contest

NATIONAL
By Catholic News Service

Father Patrick Posey, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Diocese of Arlington, Va., presents Teresa Fischer, a member of Holy Family Parish in Brillion, Wis., with a plaque for winning the Missionary Childhood Association’s national Christmas artwork contest. A Mass was celebrated for a group of the winners Dec. 1 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. (CNS photos/Pontifical Mission Societies) 

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A special Mass Dec. 1 and an exhibit at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington celebrated the winners of the annual Christmas artwork contest sponsored by the Missionary Childhood Association, an agency of the Pontifical Mission Societies.

Seventeen of this year’s 24 winners journeyed to the national shrine with their families for the Mass and presentation of awards.

Artwork was submitted by elementary school-age children in Catholic schools, religious education and home-school programs throughout the United States for this year’s contest. The winning artwork is now available as eGreetings at http://egreetings.missio.org.

Artwork for the Missionary Childhood Association’s national Christmas artwork contest is displayed Dec. 1 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. 

The original artwork, featuring various representations of the Nativity story, was to remain on display at the national shrine through the Advent and Christmas Seasons.

Winners chosen this year came from Metuchen, New Jersey; Scranton, Pennsylvania; Boston; Brooklyn, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Greensburg, Pennsylvania; Los Angeles; Miami; San Diego; San Francisco; Springfield, Illinois; St. Louis; Venice, Florida; and Washington, D.C.

Father Patrick Posey, director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, presented plaques to the winners on behalf of Oblate Father Andrew Small, national director, who was on a mission visit to Bangladesh. Father Posey is a member of the board of directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies.

Thousands of entries are submitted each year to Pontifical Mission Societies offices in U.S. archdioceses and dioceses. They send the top 12 to the national office to complete the judging process.

(Editor’s Note: Entries are now being accepted by archdiocesan and diocesan Pontifical Mission Societies offices. The deadline is Jan. 31. Entry forms and contest rules are available at https://tinyurl.com/ya2ma3j5.)