Picture this: Kids ‘share the journey’ of Christmas

By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic

MIAMI | Not only was his art work impressive for a second grader. St. Mark School’s Jack Wilson also captured the dual themes of Christmas and Pope Francis’ “Share the Journey” campaign in support of immigrants.

His chalk pastel drawing of the Three Wise Men following the Star of Bethlehem was the overall winner of this year’s Mission Kids Christmas Art Contest, and so adorns the front cover of the Christmas edition of the Florida Catholic.

The annual contest began in 2013 and is sponsored by the Missions, Schools and Religious Education offices. It is open to students in both religious education programs and Catholic schools, from kindergarten to grade eight.

All the winning entries — a winner and runner-up in each grade level, K-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8 – are reproduced here. They were selected from among nearly 1,000 entries from 24 archdiocesan schools and parishes.

This year’s judges were: Mary Anne Wiesinger of the Office of Evangelization and Parish Life; Andres Novela, director of campus ministry at Msgr. Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens; Peter Ductram, director of the Office of Catechesis; and Ana Rodriguez-Soto, editor, and Cristina Cabrera, a freelancer, with the Florida Catholic.

Appearing in the newspaper and on the archdiocesan website is the prize for the winners. But every entry also will be forwarded to the Pontifical Mission Societies in New York for participation in their annual contest. The artwork selected by the Society will be exhibited at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Better still, each work of art came with a $1 entry fee, which goes to support the work of the Missionary Childhood Association.

“It’s children helping children in need in 1,500 mission dioceses throughout the world,” said Teresita Gonzalez, director of the Missions and Social Advocacy Office.

The goal of the contest, she said, is “so the kids in our community will remember the joy of Christmas and share that joy with others. When you express the message of Christmas in art, you perpetuate that joy.”