Father Frederick Byaruhanga stood in front of a full audience at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels during his homily and thanked local students, teachers, parents, and more for “planting the seeds of faith” in their efforts to help disadvantaged youth all over the world.
“These are your fruits,” Byaruhanga said, stretching his arms to the outsized crowd. “You have touched so many lives, many people whose names we never know.”
More than 2,000 students, educators, and others packed the cathedral Oct. 16 for the annual Missionary Childhood Association Youth Appreciation Mass. The yearly Mass — always occurring just days before World Mission Sunday — recognizes the efforts of LA Catholic students to help children in need worldwide through the Pontifical Mission Societies in Los Angeles.
For 2023-2024, the MCA announced archdiocesan religious education students had raised $85,855 for various global projects.
Byaruhanga, a priest originally from the Diocese of Kabale in Uganda and now a chaplain for the VA Greater Los Angeles, said it wasn’t that long ago when a small seed — in the form of a grant provided by the Pontifical Mission Societies in Los Angeles — was used to renovate a home for orphaned and vulnerable children living in Uganda.
Now, nearly 20 years later, that effort has grown to help more than 500 children currently receiving an education, he said. Two of the children who previously received assistance grew up to become priests.
“Being a missionary for Christ, having a passion for service has no age,” he said. “You can testify to this by how much you have done. That’s the reason we are here to say thank you.”
Also during the Mass, seventh-grader Anna Louise Ralbovsky of All Souls World Language Catholic School in Alhambra was honored as a national finalist in the 2023-2024 National MCA Christmas Artwork Contest, which was themed, “What is Christmas About?” Ralbovsky received a framed copy print of her artwork while her original piece will be displayed at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., during Advent this year. The 12 local finalists will have their artwork displayed at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Three winners were also recognized for winning the Lay Mission-Helpers Association’s essay contest, which earned them a $500 Msgr. Anthony Brouwers Memorial Scholarship: sixth-grader Kaia Gemette and seventh-grader Illeana Renteria, both of St. Francis Xavier School in Burbank, and eighth-grader Catalina Lozano of Our Lady of the Assumption School in Claremont.
To start the Mass, drummers from Transfiguration School in Los Angeles performed at the front of the cathedral, segueing into a procession by students holding everything from pictures of saints to banners announcing their school. The choir consisted of students from St. Gertrude the Great School in Bell Gardens.
Following the Mass, students enjoyed In-N-Out burgers and fries while enjoying music and dancing outside on the cathedral plaza.
“You are the present and future of the Church,” Archbishop José H. Gomez said to the young people at the Mass’ conclusion. “We have that missionary spirit helping the people who are in need everywhere.”
