Summer Mission Experience

Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish offers A Summer Mission Experience to parish children each summer.  Based upon the Columban Fathers’ mission-based curriculum, along with educational resources from the United Nations, the program introduces children to saints, missionaries, and heroes through Mission, Saint, and Craft Centers.  Children travel from their baptismal call to mission by way of various developing countries throughout the world.  As they “visit” these different countries and listen to guest speakers, the children deepen their understanding of global awareness and their appreciation that we are all God’s children.  Experiencing the mission stories helps the children realize that there is a mutual exchange in mission experiences and both the sender and the receiver are enriched.  Children are encouraged to share the Good News wherever they live and to discover the presence of Christ in the world today.

This program, a collaborative effort of the Summer Mission Board, is available for children in grades 1 – 6.  Those who have completed grades 7 and higher, are invited to participate as “Global Family” and “Center” aides.

During the fun and faith-filled week of learning, exploring, and celebrating, children share experiences such as:

              Role playing stories of saints and prophets

              Participating in music, dance, and instruments from other

               countries

              Creating crafts with symbolic meaning to our faith

              Participating in a variety of outreach projects

              Dialoguing with guest speakers as they share their mission                      experiences

              Celebrate Whole Community Catechesis with our parish family

              Registration forms are sent home in the spring.