Families of student finalists from around the country gathered in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the annual Missionary Childhood Association Christmas Artwork Contest exhibit and plaque ceremony on Dec. 2. 

Students were instructed to draw from the following options: the Nativity, the three wise men, shepherds, Mary and the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, newborn Jesus, and/or the angel Gabriel.

Msgr. Kieran Harrington, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and Msgr. Vito Buonanno, the associate rector and director of pilgrimages of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception gave remarks at the start of the event before presenting awards. 

Msgr. Harrington told a story about how people like to see religious figures that reflect their culture. When showing Mexican students different depictions of Mary, the kids said they found Our Lady of Guadalupe to be the “most beautiful” because “she’s the one [they] know.”

“When you take a look at your beautiful artwork, it reflects that diversity, doesn’t it? This is what it is to be Catholic,” he said.

Twenty-four students from across the country in grades kindergarten though the eighth grade received plaques that featured their artwork.

The exhibit featuring the student’s winning artwork will be available at the National Shrine throughout Advent and Christmas. 

Local contest winner Brooke Hughes is an 8th grader at St. Bartholomew Catholic School in Bethesda, Maryland. Describing her award-winning artwork, she said, “I wanted to draw Mary and Jesus, and I thought it would be nice to show them hugging each other like when a mom holds her child for the first time.” 

She submitted her second draft; first she sketches her design, and in this case she used markers for her artwork, although she typically opts for colored pencils.

Hughes submitted her artwork to the competition back in September.

“I’m very happy, I’ve entered a few other contests, I like to see my work projected, I’m very glad people are going to come in, look around, and see it,” Hughes said. 

Hughes' art instructor Ivi Bradley encouraged her to enter this contest because she is a frequent contributor to the Catholic Standard’s Junior Saints feature of students’ artwork and writings on various topics. Another work of Christmas art by Hughes, of the baby Jesus, is featured on the cover of the December 2022 Catholic Standard.

Fellow artist Lour Shqair, the grand prize winner in the Missionary Childhood Association's Christmas art contest, is in the seventh grade at Holy Angels School in Daly City, California. Her piece incorporates various Jesus stories.

“They said it had to be Jesus, no words, and I always do Jesus being born, so I wanted to add that over here, and the star was a main part of it, and the kings follow the star, that’s why I added them over here, and I just felt like the angels were a good part of it,” Shqair said of her work. 

Her piece was “one-and-one” as she said that was her first draft of her work. She said her art teacher has been encouraging her craft as well.

An artist since first grade, Shqair has the unique honor of having her Christmas artwork being sent to Pope Francis as a grand prize winner in the contest. 

The message, sent in both English and Spanish along with her work, stated the following:

Dear Pope Francis, 

We send you this card in the name of all the children who took part in the Missionary Childhood Association Christmas art contest in the United States. We hope you have a beautiful Christmas season, and please know, we are praying for you and your intentions, particularly your calls for peace!

 Love,

Young missionary artists in the United States.

Mass was celebrated in the basilica’s Crypt Church following the award distribution.