In line with its centennial celebration, the Archdiocese of Lipa dedicated the month of January as the Month of the Children.

With the official theme, "Batangueňo Children Helping Children Live a Transformed Life like the Holy Family and Concentrated to the Holy Trinity" and guided by the Scriptural text from Matthew 18:3 - "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of Heavan", the Holy Childhood Association headed by Rev. Fr. Ephraim Cabrera, in coordination with the Archdiocesan Youth Commission, organized an activity entitled Lipa Archdiosesan Centennial Assembly of Children (LACACh) last January 31, 2011 at the La Concolacion College, Tanauan City, Batangas.

Read more: Lipa Archdiocesan Centennial Assembly of Children

The Philippine Church celebrates Holy Childhood Sunday on January 16, 2011, coinciding with the Feast of the Sto. Niño.

As a special celebration parents and educators should inculcate in the children an active interest and devotion to the mission. Children are told to to pray, do good works and offer sacrifices for the mission. They are asked to recite one Our Father, Hail Mary with the invocation "St. Francis Xavier, St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Pray for us and for all the children of the world."

The theme that the Pontifical Missionary Society of the Holy Childhood in the Philippines has chosen is "Children of the World, Fuuture of the Earth." As little missionaries, children are reminded that their mission is also to care for the earth.

Special collections at all Masses and the evening before are to be taken and proceeds will go to the Solidarity Fund of the Pontifical Missionary Society of the Holy Childhood.

It can be recalled that the Pontifical Missionary Society of the Holy Childhood is supporting several projects in the Philippines that benefit children, like, health care program, education, feeding program, and many more.

The Pontifical Missionary Society of the Holy Childhood will hold its annual gathering on January 22, 2011 (Saturday) at Pasay City Sports Complex, F. B. Harrison St., Pasay City with the theme Children of the World, Future of the Earth.

The objectives of the gathering will be the following:

1. To celebrate the special day allotted for the Holy Childhood Association (Feast of the Sto. Niño);

2. To promote awareness among children of their mission to care for the earth;

3. To provide opportunity for children to encounter/know other children and guide them towards spiritual communion and material sharing of their resources with children of other churches.

This will be the program of activities:

7:00 – 8:00 a.m. Registration/Orientation/Animation

8:00 - 8:30 Mass preparation/ song practice

8:30 – 9:30 Holy Eucharist

9:30 – 10:00 Break

10:00 – 10:30 1st Talk

10:45 – 11:15 2nd Talk

11:15 – 12:15 Workshops

12:15 Lunch

1:30 – 4:30 Program/Closing Para Liturgy

Expected to attend the gathering are about 1,500 students from Catholic schools in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Other archdioceses/dioceses have also signified to organize a gathering of children to celebrate the month of the Holy Childhood Association:

-- Diocese of Digos (January 16, 2011)

-- Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija (January 16, 2011)

- Archdiocese of Lipa (January 29, 2011)

- Diocese of Bacolod (parochial level)

- Diocese of Lucena

 - Diocese of Malaybalay (Jan 15, 29,30).

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on 23 December, 2010, appointed as Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Father Savio Hon Tai-Fai, SDB, Professor of Theology at the Seminary of Hong Kong, Member of the International Theological Commission and Academic Ordinary of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, at the same time elevating him to the Titular head of Sila, with the dignity of Archbishop.

Father Savio Hon Tai-Fai, SDB, was born in Hong Kong on 21 October, 1950. He completed his studies in Salesian colleges, made his first religious Profession on 15 August, 1969, the perpetual Profession on 15 August 1975 and was ordained a Priest in Hong Kong on 17 July, 1982. He received his BA in philosophy from London University and a doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome.

Read more: Appointment of the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples