Zambia: PMS Solwezi Diocese trains Holy Childhood Animators

Fr. Wilbroad Musonda - Solwezi

The week-long PMS Solwezi programme ended with a graduation ceremony at St. Paul Parish, Mutanda.

Addressing the graduates of the School of Missionary Animation (SOMA 1), the Dean of Mumbezhi Deanery, Fr. Vincent Chola urged Holy Childhood animators—including representatives from Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda—to apply their training to advance missionary work for children in their home parishes.

“Now that you have been empowered with the necessary knowledge and skills, we call upon you, with the guidance of your Church leaders in your various parishes, to passionately impart the content of missionary animation and formation to the children under your pastoral care,” Fr. Chola said.

Children helping children

The Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood encourages and promotes the idea of "Children praying for children, children evangelising children, children helping children worldwide.”

Fr. Chola, who formerly served as Director of PMS in the Diocese of Solwezi, prayed that the parish, Small Christian Community (SCC) leaders, and parents would support the Holy Childhood animators in their noble work of missionary animation and formation of children.

Fr Chola, who also serves as Parish Priest of Holy Family Parish, added that Holy Childhood animators need to embrace the spirit of missionary cooperation and impact adults in parishes, who can then serve as role models for children. Children in the Holy Childhood programme, he emphasised, should be encouraged to become evangelisers to their peers.

Praying the Missionary Rosary

In conclusion, Fr. Chola prayed for the success of Missionary Rosary prayers with children, entrusting the effort to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The School of Missionary Animation (SOMA 1) training at St. Paul Parish, Mutanda, gathered 57 participants—35 women and 22 men—for focused formation. Nationals of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda also participated in the programme.

The formation programme involved Catechists, school teachers, religious women, seminarians and the youth, drawn from the parishes of Mumbezhi Deanery.