On Monday 28 November, children from the Barnsley Deanery joined together in a beautiful Mass at Holy Rood Church in celebration of Mission Together, Missio’s society which encourages children to help children around the world.

Living life to the full

As the event took place in the first week of Advent, readings and prayers focused on the theme of hope. This was apt, as the support Barnsley Deanery schools provided over the last year is doing just that. They’re bringing hope to thousands of children overseas.

Children like Eunice. Through Mission Together and the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi, Eunice receives free meals at her Kenyan village school. She and others like her can now access the education, food, and care they need to flourish. So Eunice and her classmates can ‘live life to the full’ (John 10:10).

One of Hallam’s Mission Together volunteers, Ann Barry, attended the event and said:

‘Mass for me was, as always, a really good way to both bring the school children together under the common theme of Mission Together, and a great way to start Advent.  As the children I have visited in school grow up, they become much more aware of the difficulties that children in other parts of the world experience; this was clear for all to see in their contributions.’

Thanks goes to Bishop Ralph Heskett of Hallam Diocese who presided at Mass alongside priests of the Barnsley Deanery. Special thanks go to Derek Walton who helped organise the celebration alongside the staff of Holy Rood Catholic Primary School.

A big thank you also go to Hallam’s Mission Together volunteers and the staff and children of Barnsley Deanery Schools, who each year learn about, pray, fundraise, and bring hope to thousands of children living in poverty across the world.

For more about Mission Together, including resources to use with children, visit the Mission Together website.