Introduction

This article explains the basic things that the children of the Holy Childhood should be taught. It has been explained that when taught in depth and repeated regularly, the children will be built in the missionary spirit and thus be able to develop the church in Tanzania in the present and future times. These things are explained in detail as follows:

  • About Jesus Christ

The basic and first thing for the children of the Holy Childhood society is to know our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, to know who he is and what he did. They should be explained the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for them as children and for the whole world. They should also be made aware of God’s expectations for them as children of God, namely to know him, love him, serve him and ultimately reach him in heaven. In knowing Him, they will know that Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), they will know that Jesus is coming to us (Luke 1:26-38), the Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-7), the Life of Jesus (Matthew 5:1-12), the Miracles of Jesus, the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, they will also recognize His Ascension to Heaven and finally that He is with us in the Holy Eucharist.

The animator should teach the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church or the Catechism of the Diocese. He should also use methods that children can easily grasp and not forget. An example of such methods is, putting in the form of short stories about the life of Jesus Christ, as many children are drawn to listening more to stories, proverbs and even plays because through them they build more memories.

  • They should be taught about achieving holiness.

Recognizing that every Christian is called to know God, love Him, serve Him, and ultimately reach heaven, it is the calling of every Christian to reach Holiness (CCC 2013), regardless of their age. Based on this calling, our children of Holy Childhood must be taught the ways to reach holiness from a very young age so that they grow up realizing what God has planned for them as Christians.

This fundamental responsibility to teach children the way to reach Holiness, first concerns the family, which is a school of faith, where parents are required to strive to teach children the good values ​​of Christianity and build them in the good virtues of Christian ethics. The second place is given to guardians who are always with children often in the Church and in various jobs. Here guardians are Priests, Deacons, Nuns, Catechists, and lay people chosen for this fundamental task of raising children. All of these, through words and actions, must teach children how to reach holiness in their daily lives.

We may wonder, what exactly should children be taught so that they can achieve holiness? In reality, children should be taught the best Christian life, that is, to keep and live the commandments of God, pray, help the poor and needy, fast and love their neighbors without limits. Let us analyze these things briefly:

  • Keeping and living the Commandments of God and the Church

Children should be taught by their animators about the commandments of God and the church, know them, and keep them without constraint, realizing that they have been called to be saints. The animators should use every means to see that children understand what God wants in his commandments. They should understand that he wants them to worship him alone, to honor his name, to keep the Lord’s day and not work. They should honor their father and mother and those who are older than them. Above all, they should be taught how to value their lives as a precious gift from God. They should also be taught how to maintain purity of heart by not reading indecent information, watching pornographic videos and not getting involved in the business of their own bodies.

In teaching them this, they should see God as love and that He has given them rich guidelines to reach the truth. It is good for our children to be taught the lives of holy children who were able to defend the truth and reached the kingdom of God. Examples of these saints are; Mary Goreth, St. Felomena etc., and while the guardian emphasizes the life of the child Jesus in the Holy Bible.

Since we want our children to understand their church in depth, they must be taught in depth about the commandments of the church, so that they begin to keep them while they are still young because it is through the commandments of the church and of God, our children will be able to earn holiness.

  • Prayer

For St. Therese of the Child Jesus, prayer is the raising of the heart, the raising of the gaze towards heaven, the cry of thanksgiving in both trials and joys. (Ref. CCC 2559). Therefore, our children must know that they speak to God through prayer. It is in prayer that they are taught that Christ meets each one, (CCC 2560), and that he asks us for water to drink because he is thirsty. It is in prayer that Jesus’ thirst and ours meet. Thus, we must teach children to ask God for the water of life, which will quench our thirst, that is, Holiness.

It should be remembered that we cannot teach children how to pray if we ourselves do not pray. Guardians and parents must be an example in prayer. The Church has established different prayers, morning prayers, evening prayers, prayers after and before teaching, prayers before and after eating. All this will make the child see that “Prayer is the spiritual life” (CCC 2697), and in this way he/she will build himself/herself in his/her daily life as a Christian guided by prayer.

Above all, in the life of prayer, children should be taught to attend Holy Mass, to respect the Holy Eucharist, and also to pray the holy rosary of the Virgin Mary, as excellent aids for them in their search for Holiness.

We as guardians must ensure that we are an example in the life of prayer. Set aside time to pray with children in common prayers and personal prayers.

  • Helping the Poor and the Vulnerable

It is the responsibility of the animator to ensure that children see Jesus Christ in the poor and the vulnerable. They should join the Church in performing acts of mercy for their fellow human beings, especially: the needy, the sick, the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable. First, they should start in a group of their peers, when their peer is in trouble, help them as a group by contributing whatever they have as part of their comfort. Also, their peers who lack basic needs should be the first to help them and defend their basic rights. By doing so, this will be the basis for achieving holiness. They should be taught gently so that they can be built up in the value of helping even when they become adults, in order to achieve perfection/holiness.

The goal is to free children from the chains of selfishness and self-assertion with the wealth they have, so that they can see that God wants these assets, even if they are small, to be used to help the poor and all those in need. However, since not all children can earn money or wealth, it is good for them to be taught to go and do small tasks for the needy, for example, fetching water, washing clothes, cleaning the environment, etc., while they are accompanied by their guardians. This should be considered especially during the Lenten period.

  • Fasting

Although children are taught to pray, they should also be taught to deny themselves through fasting. They should be reminded of the Church’s commandment “Fast on Ash Wednesday, do not eat meat on Good Friday.” Children should not only be scolded, but they should be made to understand in their hearts that by doing so they will attain holiness.

The small things they have, for example; sweets, pastries, juice, biscuits, peanuts, cashew nuts, etc., should be recognized that there are others who do not have them and therefore they also need to have them. Thus, when they fast, they should be taught to give to their needy peers from the heart, as a sign of fasting and abstinence. During Lent, the parent or guardian should train the child to see different situations, especially in matters of food, for example, if a child really likes chips, he should know that he should reduce the number of days he eats those chips per week and eat other foods so that he can help another child who, in his case, can get those chips a few times a year. Then the children will be able to recognize the way to attain holiness in daily life.

  • Love for God and Neighbor.

Holiness is linked to Love for God and Neighbor. Parents should strive hard to encourage good behavior in children in ordinary matters, for example; greeting, obeying, helping the elderly, the sick, parents, and all people. And let them know that is their job as missionaries, and then the love of God that is in them will be seen.

Respect and wisdom for our children should prevail, let us realize that today’s world has so many things, children learn without analyzing words and actions. Therefore, it is our job as parents and guardians, to make sure that we show the way but also which one to take so that they can reach Holiness.

  • Teachings on the Lives of the Saints.

It is obvious that our children want to be saints. This act of becoming saints can be achieved more easily if they learn through real examples of the lives of the saints in heaven. The role of the guardian is to ensure that he teaches the children through stories and songs about the lives of the saints. In this way, the children will see the example of those who lived a life on earth and finally reached perfection (Holiness).

It is good for the animator to recognize many saints by studying their own lives so that he can teach the children easily and briefly. It is especially good when the guardian recognizes the holy children and teaches the children, because they really want to see their companion who is a witness to the Christian truth. For example, teaching them about the holy angels, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles, the martyrs (the Ugandan martyrs and the child martyrs), St. Felomena, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, St. Bakhita, St. Benedict the Abbot, St. Augustine, etc.

Children should imitate from the saints, love, a life of prayer, self-denial, defending the Faith until death, praying and fasting and also giving themselves to God for themselves and their neighbors. In teaching them the lives of the Saints, the guardian should be careful to choose the basic things that the children will learn and live in their daily lives.

Likewise, he should explain to the children the days that the Church has set aside for children as days to obtain Plenary Mercy; namely; the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the Day of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (October 1), the Feast of St. Francis Xavier (December 3), the Feast of the Child Martyrs (December 28), the Feast of St. Joseph (March 19), the Feast of the Guardian Angels (October 2) and the feast of the anniversary of their baptism as children. On these days, the guardian should ensure that the children gather to pray for these Mercy.

  • Receiving and Honoring the Sacraments.

Sacramental life for any Catholic is a very important pillar, as it is his identity as a strong Catholic. Therefore, children must learn to receive and respect the Sacraments established by Mother Church from an early age. It is the responsibility of parents, working with guardians, to ensure that children are in a strong faith and the Sacraments. The big question here for parents and guardians is how can I teach children so that they not only understand but can participate in the sacraments? The explanation of each Sacrament should be brief for children so that they can easily understand. For example:

Baptism: Children should understand that we are all born with sin, that is, original sin, which we inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. When we are baptized, that sin is removed and we now become children of God and are incorporated into the Church. In this way, children will be able to understand it easily. Explain that Baptism is the Sacrament that enables us to be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, is the door (entrance) to all the other sacraments and is the key to eternal life. (Jn 3:3, Mt 28:19; CCC n. 1213, 1277,).

Holy Eucharist: Children should recognize from an early age the meaning and importance of the Holy Eucharist in their Christian life. Thus, they should be explained that the Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, God-Man in the forms of bread and wine (Jn 6:1-71, Mt 26:26-28). And they should also realize that this Sacrament was instituted on Holy Thursday evening (I Cor 11:23). At the last supper, Jesus took bread and gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying: Take, all of you, eat; this is my body, which is given for you. In the same way, after supper, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks again, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and drink of it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.

It is good for children to be informed that the people who celebrate the Holy Eucharist are Bishops and Priests. (I Cor 11:23-25). They should be encouraged to attend Holy Mass regularly, where the Holy Eucharist is celebrated. They should be made aware that Holy Communion brings us these graces: first, it preserves and increases the grace of sanctification, which is the life of our souls. Second, it removes venial sins and reduces the risk of committing serious sins. Third, it gives us the zeal and strength to do good by increasing our faith, hope, and love. Fourth, it brings unity in the Church, not only with Christ, but also with one another.

Confirmation: It is the responsibility of the Guardian to inform the child of the meaning and importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Let them know that Confirmation is a Sacrament that brings us the Holy Spirit and His grace to make us strong Christians and valiant soldiers of Jesus Christ, so that we can testify to our faith in words and deeds. (CCC n. 1316). Also let them know that they are strengthened to defend their Faith wherever they are.

Penance or Reconciliation: Children should know that Penance or Reconciliation is a Sacrament for the remission of sins we committed after baptism (Mt 16:18-19, 18:18). Since many denominations oppose this Sacrament, children should be clearly explained that they should confess because Jesus requires them to do so. They should be told that this sacrament was instituted after the resurrection of Christ with the testimony of these words; Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven, and whose sins you retain are retained (Jn 20:22-23). ​​

Above all, they should realize that this Sacrament of Penance absolves us of our sins and eternal punishment, sanctifies our souls and makes us steadfast in doing good. In addition, children should be explained that the one who celebrates this sacrament is only a Priest or Bishop. It is very good for children to be explained the steps of doing penance and reconciling themselves with God.

Anointing of the Sick: Children should be briefly explained that, Anointing of the Sick, is a Sacrament offered to those burdened by illness and old age so that they may receive special grace and comfort in spirit and body, and even be healed if it is good for their salvation. (James 5:14-15, Mark 6:13). Children should also know the circumstances or situation that makes a Christian receive this sacrament, for example; illness, accident, operation or old age. It is a Bishop or priest who offers the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

They should also be made aware that in this sacrament the sick person receives these graces: (i) Strength to endure suffering and to unite it with his own suffering and that of Christ Jesus, (ii) Forgiveness of all sins that he cannot confess, (iii) Relief of the body, even if life is necessary for the salvation of his soul. (iv) Grace to prepare to depart from this world and enter eternal life. Holy Orders; children should know what the meaning of Holy Orders is and how God calls believers to Holy Orders. Explain to children that Holy Orders or Priesthood is a Sacrament that gives a Catholic man the sacred power to: (i) offer the sacrifice of the Holy Mass, (ii) share the sacraments with others, (iii) preach and teach people officially (Heb 5:1-4; 1 Cor 11:24-25), (iv) guide people and give blessings, (CCC. n. 1592, 1598). It is good for guardians to guide children to realize that every Catholic man with a vocation and the desire to dedicate himself to helping people’s salvation and who is accepted by the elders of the Church can become a priest (I Tim 3:1-3, Heb 5:4-6; CCC. n. 1598).

Marriage: Children should be explained in detail about the Sacrament of Marriage, which is the first school of the Faith. They should be built on the habit of respecting their father and mother, who are their teachers. Above all, they should recognize their fundamental role in the family. Thus, they should respect marriage as they can respect the Holy Order. Since there is a great wave of advocacy for same-sex marriage, it is good for children to be explained the true meaning of marriage in the plan of God and His Church in order to avoid such negative concepts.

They should realize that Marriage is a covenant between one man and one woman (Gen 2:24, Matt 19:3-6). Christian marriage is the sacrament of the union of two Christians, one husband and one wife, according to the law of the Catholic Church (Eph 5:21-33). Marriage is instituted by God himself and Jesus Christ has elevated it to a sacrament (Gen 2:18, Mt 19:1-12).

N.B. It would be wise for guardians to be proactive in receiving the Sacraments as much as possible, especially the Holy Eucharist and Penance, so that children can see that what is being taught is consistent with the real lives of their guardians and not just talk and stories without action. It is very important that guardians avoid unnecessary obstacles that will prevent them from participating in the Sacraments of God.

  • The method of reading and meditating on the Holy Bible

Parents should encourage children to have a culture of reading the Bible. They should show children an easy way to open the Bible without taking much time to find the parts they want to read, because the Bible has many books and many pages. Therefore, it is good for children to be shown the first pages of the Bible book that show references to books in the Bible. Likewise, children should be taught how to meditate on lessons in the Bible and not just read like a newspaper or other books. Especially, children should be taught how to meditate on lessons in the Bible and not just read like a newspaper, story or other books of worldly knowledge. They should be taught how to relate the word of God to the ordinary daily life they live. They should be given the opportunity to read and meditate on the holy scriptures regularly so that they can gain that experience.

Parents should have the habit of preparing their children well before reading the word of God, especially by telling them that after the lesson is read, they should say which book, which chapter and which verse/s the lesson is from. Also, explain to them that after the lesson is read, they should briefly say what the lesson was about and what it teaches them in their lives. By doing so, the children will be building attention when the lesson is read because they will know that they will have to answer several questions immediately after reading the lesson. Also, to make the children calm during the Sunday school days, they should give the children the task of writing down which books the Sunday school lessons came from and what teachings they were giving. All of this is to keep the child from wandering while in church, because it is obvious that if they are not kept busy, they can continue with their own affairs while the Holy Mass is being celebrated.

  • Children should know the History of the Holy Childhood Society

It is very important for guardians to first understand the history of the Holy Childhood Society after being chosen as guardians of this organization. This will help them mature in the role of guardianship, because a guardian cannot call himself a guardian of holy childhood if he himself does not know in what roots his mission is based. Therefore, the guardian should make sure that he/she understands in depth the dreams of the founder of this organization (Bishop Charles de Fobin Janson) the gifts, goals and works of this organization so that he/she can teach his/her children. (Refer to the manual).

It is very important that children know the entire history of the establishment of their society so that they can understand their roles within their mission, because if they do not understand this, they will not grow in the spirit of the organization but will only be like actors. Therefore, teach children about this history even if through narratives since most of them are still young, and then take them to reality, that is, actions (pray for pagan children, orphans, give things to needy children, have devotion to the baby Jesus, etc.) and in this way they will understand what they should do even when they are adults.

  • Fearing God (Proverbs 1:7, 8:13, 10:23, 14:26. ​​Mark 10:29)

Parents should teach children to be pious when they are still young so that they can grow in that knowledge. Furthermore, fearing God means; loving Him, obeying Him, serving Him, doing His (God’s) will, having the fear of God in doing what is displeasing to Him, standing firm in the true faith and defending justice and truth. When a child is raised and grows in all these conditions, he will later be able to become a strong missionary of Christ in living out the things of Christ.

  • Children should be taught in depth about Missionary Work

Every guardian of the Holy Childhood should teach children about missionary work, since the main goal of the Holy Childhood Organization is to awaken, motivate, encourage and develop the missionary spirit in children. Therefore, in teaching them, it is important to direct them to receive the apostolic work entrusted to them by God. The guardian is the helper for the child so that he hears the voice that says “Come, follow me” and “Go and preach the Gospel.” (Mk 16:15-18, Mt19:21)

Children should be taught to see that God believes in them and that is why He wants to share them in the work of Missionary Work. So, for them it is to respond “Yes” so that they can go to the field where the workers are few. Guardians should tell children that God wants them to “Help their fellow children to know Him.” It is the job of caregivers to “read the signs of the times” and make them clear to children, that is, to explain to them about the large group of children who do not know Jesus Christ and thus let them know that they are needed in the Lord’s field.

Children should be explained that there are children living in difficult circumstances such as extreme poverty and social exclusion, due to which they find themselves involved in child labor, bad behavior (insults, theft, stubbornness, truancy, etc.) and sexual abuse and humiliation. It should also be made clear that there are their peers who live without parents due to the loss of their parents or running away from difficult circumstances at home, for example: lack of food, beatings, parental disagreements or rejection by father, mother or caregivers.

Caregivers should explain to children how Jesus loved them even saying “Let the little children come to me…” (Mt 19:14) so ​​they should know that they have a mission to share that love of Christ with their fellow children with various problems and thus strive to do everything good for children with these challenges.

  • Prayer and Offering

The guardian of holy childhood must teach the children how to pray. It is good that everything the guardian does when he is with the children should begin with prayer, again with the sign of the Cross. This way, the children will know that there is an importance of praying in every work and step they reach. Children should be taught to pray communal prayers such as the Holy Rosary, the prayer of the Angel of the Lord/Queen of Heaven and personal prayers wherever they are.

They should be taught to pray for their fellow children so that they may believe in Christ and his Gospel. They should also pray for their fellow children who live in difficult circumstances due to war, famine, epidemics, earthquakes (natural disasters) and those who are isolated from their communities. They should also be taught to pray to God for parents, guardians and the church so that the whole world may be saved through their prayers. They should also pray for sinners, especially those who bring religious, ethnic, political, racial beliefs and thus cause war, hatred and division instead of peace. The guardian should ensure that each child has a prayer book and can pray by reading and or even keeping the prayers in their hearts.

In terms of charity, children should learn to offer their lives as a sacrifice, that is, to live for their fellow human beings in need and accept suffering, attaching it to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, who with great love agreed to die for us all. Offer them a temporary sacrifice, that is: visiting the elderly, the sick, orphans, widows, prisoners, the poor and the disabled. Learn to give the wealth they have that is part of their daily use at home, at school and elsewhere, even if it is small, and their talents (dancing, singing, acting, reading, leading, etc.) for the mission. In this way, they will taste how Jesus wants them to serve him. Children should always do acts of mercy, again from the “heart” and there will be a better generation in the future church.

  • Children understand the Church and the things in it

The animator has the responsibility to show them, direct them or provide all the procedures that children should follow while still in church. For example, it is his responsibility to teach them the song or songs that are appropriate for singing in the Catholic Church. Also, how to enter and sit with decency, respect and a spirit of worship in the Church. It is also the responsibility of the guardian to know that the children he is raising know the various prayers that are prayed in the holy mass service, for example the sign of the cross and they also know the correct use of the Holy Water.

They should be instructed on how to kneel before the Tabernacle, pay respect before the cross, avoid playing with the utensils used on the altar during worship as well as priestly vestments. Along with that, the guardian should build in the children a sense of the presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist in the Tabernacle and also show them the eternal flame while explaining it to them so that they understand the difference between that (holy) flame and other flames they are familiar with. They should also be shown the Bible, the Altar Missal and the study book, as well as being informed about the difference between these holy books and the ones they are used to, namely the stories and the World Education lessons.

If the Church has pictures of the Saints and the Stations of the Cross, it is the responsibility of the guardian to show them these and teach them to offer their prayers through these pictures. It is also wise to direct the children to their places of sitting during prayers and various services so that it is easier for him to guide them and perhaps avoid unnecessary conflicts with adults at that time. Therefore, the guardian should be a compass for the children in the whole matter of believing in, respecting and honoring the saints within the Catholic Church.

  • How to love God and neighbor (Lk 12:22-38, Gen 22:1-18, Lk 10:30-37)

Love is a virtue that we are given to love God and neighbor. Animators should focus on teaching children unconditional love. Children should share what little they have with love without favoritism. The guardian should be an example by loving all regardless of the living conditions of each child, that is, he should not turn to children for whom he knows that their parents are certainly capable of giving him anything, but should turn to all (those who have and those who do not), following the example of Jesus Christ who loved all men to the point of dying on the cross for them all (poor and rich).

Children should be taught that God is love (Ref. 1 Jn. 4:7-10) and he wants them as Missionaries of the Holy Childhood to share this love with their fellow children and with the whole world. They should imitate the example of Jesus who showed love for the sick, the poor, the lame, the elderly, widows and the disabled. Thus, they too, as young missionaries, should show this love to their fellow children and to the world.

It is through boundless love that they will be able to attract many children and convert them to Catholicism. Also, a strong society with dignity will come from the foundation of a child’s upbringing and thus find a strong church. Parents should ensure that they have genuine love and share this love with their children, which will guide them in all the missionary activities of the Holy Childhood.

  • Teach them the Importance of Education (Proverbs 4:13)

Since education is the key to life, parents should always remind their children about the importance of education, as it is their responsibility to build the child physically and spiritually. Any human being must be able to understand how to cope with his environment (that is, our children). Therefore, children should be advised to study hard at school, obey their teachers and guardians, follow school rules, and avoid bad groups of students with obstacles (homosexuality, sodomy, theft, insults, too many games without studying, gossip, gossiping about teachers, etc.). If they take all of this into account, they will succeed in their studies and will continue to remain spiritually mature children because if they are not advised to study and abandon bad habits, even when they return from vacation, the guardians will no longer be able to continue with them in missionary upbringing.

  • The Effects of Social Media (Phones and Television)

It is clear that social media has been a great help in facilitating communication among people and thus promoting and developing our religion, politics, economy and culture. On the other hand, these networks have also become toxic in society because of human misuse. Therefore, animator should explain to children the effects of using these networks so that they do not affect their lives. For example, children should be told that they have no reason to use their parents’ phones to steal without their parents’ consent, because by using these phones fraudulently, they engage in unproductive conversations with people who do not have good intentions.

Animators should tell children (especially older ones) to refuse young people who ask for their parents’ numbers to call them when they are away from their parents, or to give them phones so that they can communicate with them. Explain to them that these methods are bad because when they have the habit of talking on the phone all the time, they will be tempted and indulge in their body’s emotions, which will make them want to meet them physically and thus ruin their lives. Similarly, children should be warned against watching bad channels on television that do not build them up but destroy their morals. For example, they should be discouraged from watching sex videos that have largely ruined children and adults. Children should always be directed to watch things related to education, religious matters as well as other information that has the concept of educating the community.

 

 

Prepared by: Sr Anagladness Mrumah, National Holy Childhood Secretary