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Christian Service ProgramThen the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?' And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' What is Christian Service? The first thing to note is that Christian Service is not the same as community service! Community Service is about doing good-----helping someone in need, getting involved in community….making the world a better place….all good things….it is not Christian Service though Christian Service is about being a disciple!!!! We are called by God to serve and we have the duty to serve because that is the call of our baptism. We are called to be disciples! We approach Christian Service differently than we would community service: 1. We are called to acceptance in Christian Service. We are called to do things that we may not want to do, and we accept that willingly even joyfully! The perfect example is Jesus in the Garden. He prayed, “not my will by yours be done” In Christian Service we pray the same thing. We accept that this is what God wants me to do right now, even if I don’t understand it or want to do it!!!!! 2. We are called to sacrifice and give of our whole self as we serve. If it is too easy, it is not a sacrifice. Service is not always convenient and it may even be really hard. But as disciples we are called to sacrifice many things: time, pride, our own desires etc. The perfect example is Jesus washing the feet of the apostles. Not a pretty job!!! Jesus humbled himself to serve in this way. We are called to do the same. 3. Christian Service and Discipleship call us to rely on the gift of wisdom. In Luke 10, Jesus sends the 72 disciples out…he does not give them a lot of instruction. He basically tells them to bring nothing with you, stay in the same house that first welcomes you and say to the town “The kingdom of God is with you--- that is about it! It is not a lot of information! Jesus trusted them to know what to do and He trusts us to discern ways we can help! Wisdom also helps us to know that God will bring something good out of our service, if we allow him to. 4. Christian Service calls us to be Resilient! This involves flexibility when plans change, not giving up even when things are hard and allowing God to take something hard and change it into something good. A great example is St. Paul! He was imprisoned, beaten up, shipwrecked, bitten by a viper and had rocks thrown at him many times! He did not quit!!!!! 5. Most important, Christian Service calls us to act with love and compassion. We are called to love those we serve and those we serve with…even if they are difficult, seemingly ungrateful etc. It is so hard, but that is our call….no one said that living the Christian life was easy. The perfect example of this is Jesus on the cross praying “Father, forgive them.”
Please note that one of the goals of the Christian Service Program is to teach students responsibility, a core value at CCHS. Parents/Guardians should instruct students to contact the Director of Christian Service personally. It is the student's responsibility to address any issues arising with the Christian Service Program. For questions concerning the number of hours a student has completed students may call Ms. Price (858) 523-4000 ex. 1174, or come into the Library. Ms. Price's email address is: mprice@cathedralcatholic.org For all other questions, students may contact Dawn Brannman at ext 1221 in DeSales 207. Ms. Brannman's email is dbrannman@cathedralcatholic.org Hours Requirements for Class of 2012-2014Each student is required to complete a minimum of sixty (60) hours of Christian service before the end of their junior year. We suggest students complete 20 hours each of their freshman, sophomore, and junior years for the complete 60 hours. This is just a suggestion, and student may complete their hours on their own time-schedule provided all 60 are done by the last Friday of May in their junior year. Hours Requirements for Class of 2015CCHS Christian Service Program Discipleship is the goal of the CCHS Christian Service Program. We want our students to have a variety of experiences that will help them grow as disciples! Each student is required to complete 20 hours of service during his or her freshman, sophomore and junior years of high school. These hours must be completed and submitted to the school at the beginning of each school year. Students are required to serve in particular areas each year of high school. The areas in which they must serve and corresponding corporal and spiritual works of mercy are listed:
Freshman Year: work with poor/disadvantaged
Sophomore Year Work with Children/tutoring/coaching etc.
Junior Year Work with Sick/Elderly etc.
During each year 15 hours must be working directly with people in need in the given category. 5 hours may be served for administration purposes: paperwork, fundraising, stocking shelves etc. or for organizing events in the given area. A reflection paper will be due following the completion of each year’s service requirement. Please look at the approved list of agencies for ideas of where to serve and remember to check the school website. If you have any questions, contact Dawn Brannman in DeSales 207 or email dbrannman@cathedralcatholic.org Direct vs. Indirect HoursThere are two classifications of service hours. Because the main goals of Christian Service center on the realization of what it means to give of one's self to others and to grow spiritually and emotionally from this giving, the type of service that is most meaningful for students involves direct interaction with those in need. Of the sixty (60) hours needed to satisfy the graduation requirement, at least forty (40) hours must be categorized by the Christian Service Director as Direct in nature. Direct hours are when there is person-to-person contact with the person in need. Indirect hours are defined as support-work, fundraising, or only working with other volunteers. Common means of service categorized as Indirect include clerical/custodial work, fundraisers, marathons and walkathons, sales, animal care, school/parish/ethnic festivals or meals. No more than twenty (20) of the required sixty (60) hours are allowed to be Indirect. All 60 hours may be DIRECT. Transfer StudentsTransfer students may submit service hours from previously attended schools provided they have the appropriate documentation (verification of hours and evaluation by supervisor) and if the hours qualify according to the CCHS understanding of Christian service. Adjustments in the number of required hours for graduation for transfer students is made in a contract through the Director of Christian Service. ALL TRANSFER STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A TRANSFER STUDENT FORM. This packet includes:
Approved AgenciesThe above link will give you a list is of agencies we have contacted and approve for use for service. These are not the only agencies for whom you may give your service, but common agencies students have used in the past. If you are in doubt if an agency is appropriate, please contact the Director of Christian Service, and they will assist you in this. All agencies must be nonprofit. You should choose the type of service you wish to do, contact the organization, and work with the agency's volunteer coordinator about when and how you can serve. Before you arrive be sure about what sort of service you will be doing and any special circumstances of your service. Remember no more than 20 of the required 60 hours can be indirect service. If you have any problems with an agency, please contact the Office of Campus Ministry immediately and they will evaluate the situation. We will work to ensure your service opportunity is safe and meaningful. Catholic CharitiesA fantastic place for volunteering opportunities is Catholic Charities. You can follow the link below and download their volunteer information. Caritas AwardStudents who complete 100 hours of service or more within one year are elible to apply for the Caritas Award. Applications for this award are offered in the fall and in the spring. Applications may be picked up in the library. Please contact Dawn Brannman at dbrannman@cathedralcatholic.org if you have any questions. Application: http://www.cathedralcatholic.org/campus-ministry/caritasapp.doc Christian Service Orientation Packethttp://www.cathedralcatholic.org/drop/OrientationHandout.doc |