Fulfilling Our Catholic Identity through Service-Learning

Recently 50 grade school students at Queen of Angels Elementary School in Chicago made their 3,000th peanut butter and jelly sandwich to help feed homeless men and women at their local food pantry. The school introduced students to this and other service projects over the past four years to help them grow as Catholics in their understanding of the importance of participating in service to others in the community. The impact has not only been that Queen of Angels won NCEA’s Home and School Award in 2009, but that 50 students have had the experience of seeing how one small act of charity can make a big impact in the community in the fight against poverty 3,000 sandwiches later.

At a global level, international service-learning programs at Catholic universities across the United States are challenging students to learn about the multi-dimensionality of poverty in the developing world, analyze its root causes, and identify strategies for social development to gain a broader understanding of the systemic forces at work. So while community service can begin with the making of one peanut butter and jelly sandwich, service-learning challenges students and their teachers to look beyond the needs of the individual and address the underlying social issues in the community.

Moving from Charity to Justice

As Catholic institutions of learning, whether K-12 or Higher Ed, we are called to move from performing works of charity to performing works of justice for the communities we serve - - working not just for our neighbor but with them - - to address their areas of greatest need, neglect, and nurturing. We are called to participate not only in events of service but events and experiences that touch, teach, and transform the community, its teachers, and students. This is the type of impact that service-learning can have in supporting our Catholic mission and identity. It can help us fulfill the call to love our neighbor, be our brother’s keeper, and respond to the Preferential Option for the Poor.

So how exactly do service-learning and community service differ? While community service engages students and teachers to help those in need, it typically does not include an academic component or academic credit, nor is student learning the primary focus. By comparison, service-learning integrates academic study with the community and becomes an impetus for learning about larger social issues. Also, service-learning projects are usually created in collaboration with the community, involve reflection on what is being learned, and attempt to further the cause of justice in the community rather than just provide a charitable intervention. According to Marisol Morales, Associate Director of the Steans Center at DePaul University, “As institutions of higher education, our call is to provide knowledge and create critical thinkers through a Liberal Arts education. Service-learning gives us a way to put this into action by doing more than lip service - - giving students a more critical perspective on why societal problems exist in the first place and moving them from a sense of charity to justice.”

Fulfilling our Catholic Mission

Leveraging service-learning as a teaching tool can help us fulfill our mission as Catholic institutions by bringing justice into the classroom. According to Patrick Green, Director of Experiential Education at Loyola University, “Students are used to doing community service. What they long for is a deeper, meaningful connection - - not just to understand the issues in the community - - but to be more deeply connected to the community. Our students want to better understand poverty, hunger or homelessness, and the underlying systemic structures that cause these problems. Service-learning challenges them to think about how they can affect these underlying structures to create a more just society.” “We have a unique voice,” adds Rachel Tomas Morgan, Assistant Director of International Engagement & Justice Education at the Center for Social Concerns at the University of Notre Dame, “because as Catholic institutions we see service-learning more holistically in terms of our obligation to our neighbor and God.” Thus, service-learning can also help students answer the question of what it means to be Catholic.

Fulfilling the Tenants of Catholic Social Teaching

Doing service that has an orientation toward justice is not only key to service-learning but core to Catholic Social Teaching itself. Whether addressing the Life and Dignity of the Human Person or the call to Solidarity, the tenants of Catholic Social Teaching remind us of the core values that underlie our organization’s mission and values which are rooted in the example of service, stewardship, and social change that Jesus gave us. In the words of Pope John Paul II, “A Catholic university must prioritize issues which are not always emphasized by other lay institutions, especially those related to the… promotion of justice for all, personal and family quality of life, protection of the environment, the search for peace and political stability, a more equitable distribution of the world’s resources, and a new economic and political order which will better serve the human community at the national and international level.”

While this makes perfect sense on paper, how does this link between Catholic Social Teaching and the fulfillment of a university’s mission play out in real life? According to Patrick Green, “Service-learning allows us to breathe life into the mission and demonstrate our commitment to the community in both action and reflection.” Rachel Tomas Morgan adds, “There is a moral obligation that we as Catholic institutions have that may or may not be the same for non-faith-based institutions. While the call to global citizenship is becoming more and more prevalent in Higher Ed, we need to ask ourselves, ‘Are we doing anything differently as Catholics?’” If we intentionally respond to our Catholic educational missions in a way that is informed by Catholic Social Teaching, we can create a unique, intentional brand of Catholic service-learning for students and teachers, which will benefit our communities locally and globally.

The Impact of Service-Learning

Whether the locale is India, Uganda, Cambodia or Mexico, international service-learning can challenge students to work with children with special needs, confront disparities in educational systems, address deficits in nutrition and healthcare, or examine the cultural and social roots of HIV. Through it all, the common theme is that learning is working in service to justice.

When executed effectively, service-learning programs can affect the transformation of a student’s worldview, a stronger belief in a just world, and identification that the struggle of the poor is their own struggle. Through reflection, students learn to see that human development is not a one-way process but a process that engages all participants in a greater understanding of each others humanity.

Ultimately, as Catholics, service-learning can help students connect their inner life of prayer with their outer life of social engagement, gaining new insights into the suffering of the world and the suffering of Christ. Thus, what might have begun in Chicago as a call to love thy neighbor by making peanut and butter and jelly sandwiches for homeless men and women, can lead to an international service-learning experience in Cambodia that transforms a college junior’s perspective about the world and how they are called to serve it after graduation. In this way, service-learning can help Catholic institutions fulfill their mission and identity, help Catholic students live more fulfilling lives and create a more just society.

Stories from the Street: Larry's Story

When you see a homeless person, do you ever wonder about their family? Or do you, like me, assume they must not have a family, otherwise they wouldn’t be homeless?

Today I had the pleasure of meeting 36 year-old Larry Elijah on Adams Street, just outside Union Station. I learned that Larry is the proud father of a young boy also named Larry Elijah who lives with his grandmother. Larry Elijah Sr., it turns out, was named after his uncle. So there you have it - - three generations of Larry Elijahs!

Larry Sr. has found a temporary place to sleep each night on a neighbor’s couch, paying them $10 a night. This is a grace for him since hotels can usually run upwards of $50-60/night. When I met Larry he was carrying a backpack with several copies of his resume in it, ready to act on a job lead that comes his way. Most days he goes to a day labor agency in the City that hires folks at $11-12/hour. Today, however, the agency had no work so he stands on the curb with an empty cup and a winter jacket to stay warm. Larry Sr. has an amazingly positive attitude about his situation. He thinks of himself as a fisherman out there with his plastic McDonald's cup. "You know sometimes when you're fishing you'll get a bite but a lot of times you don't, so you gotta just stay with it, and keep casting your line."

Larry isn’t proud of his situation but he’s determined to make it. He says he tries to be a role model for his son and go out every day looking for work or asking for money. He is proud of his name and he wants to make a difference for the next generation of Larry Elijah's.

Join me in supporting folks like Larry as I work to raise $5,000 for men and women who are homeless while training for the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. Tax deductible donations can be made at http://www.active.com/donate/crossroadsrunners/edduffy

Stories from the Street: Willie's Story

I met Willie downtown today on the corner of Wacker and LaSalle, near the Chicago river. He's a humble, quiet man of wisdom from the West side. He told me, prayer sustains him. "Without prayer, I'd be in a trash can." "God is real, and so is the devil, but God is stronger."

Willie looks for work wherever he can find it. Over the years he's worked as a butcher, a mechanic, and an orderly at a nursing home. When I asked him what his favorite job was, he said it was working at the nursing home. "It's hard caring for people because you get attached to them and you miss them when they die." As I listened, the irony of what he said was not lost on me. Being an orderly, is obviously the least desirable of the three jobs he mentioned, yet he enjoyed it because he built a sense of intimacy and relationship with those he was caring for - - as well as made himself vulnerable to grief and loss when they died. I didn't expect this kind of wisdom from a homeless man on a street corner, but Willie was "being real with me".

Willie didn't get around to telling me how he became homeless, though he said his downfall was drugs and chasing women. Despite his past and present circumstances, I got a sense that Willie is in a better place today.

Join me in supporting folks like Willie as I work to raise $5,000 for men and women who are homeless while training for the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. Tax deductible donations can be made at http://www.active.com/donate/crossroadsrunners/edduffy

Stories from the Street: Walter's Story

I came upon Walter on Ohio Street as he sat on the sidewalk next to a sign that read, "God is Good." Is it a paradox that a man who is homeless would say, "God is Good?" As Walter tells it, he's been robbed, had his teeth kicked in and more, so every day that he wakes up is a day to give thanks for "a chance to get it right."

Walter's been homeless for 7 years and he says that's how long it has been since he's had a significant other. But Walter seems to know he is Beloved by God, and that sustains him. Truth be told, the day I met Walter I was having kind of a down day, and Walter's wisdom and confidence about his faith gave me hope. A man who is homeless giving me hope? Funny how God works sometimes.

Walter commented how there are so many people running around with all this stuff and they're still not happy. And here he is, a guy with nothing but the shirt on his back, and he's content and happy.

Walter's daily routine is to read his Bible and try and collect $21 for a room and a shower. Join me in supporting folks like Walter as I work to raise $5,000 for men and women who are homeless and train for the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. Tax deductible donations can be made at http://www.active.com/donate/crossroadsrunners/edduffy

Stories from the Street: Joseph's Story

Joseph is a man with an easy smile and a ready handshake. He asks for money on the street, but he'd love to find work as a day laborer. Last week he was able to find work helping someone move into their new offices on Madison Street.

While in college at Grambling State, things were going well for Joseph. He attended school full time and worked part-time as a bank teller. Things went sour, however, when he was charged with a felony for selling drugs. He says he got caught up in how much money he could make in the drug business, though he says wasn't really a drug user himself. It was all about the money. He got sucked in and paid the price.

Today he's trying to keep the faith and find a good job, but it's hard to find work when you have a felony on your record. So Joseph takes life one day at a time and relies on the generosity of the strangers he meets. One man gave him the new pair of Columbia hikes shoes he wears, another man gave him the shirt he wears, and today he needs a dentist. He's battling a toothache and the only thing he can do is numb it for a while with a dab of Orajel every couple of hours.

Join me in supporting folks like Joseph as I work to raise $5,000 for men and women who are homeless while training for the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. Tax deductible donations can be made at http://www.active.com/donate/crossroadsrunners/edduffy

Stories from the Street: Scooter's Story

Scooter lost the roof over his head in 1992 when his mother died. Since then he’s been living on the street. Scooter is a warm, conversational man in his 60’s. He takes his place on the sidewalk each day outside St. Peter’s church on Madison Street and asks for money to pay for food and a room.

Scooter tries to collect the $15 a night he needs to pay for a room at the men’s hotel at Clark and Harrison. On a good day, he collects $25-40 from passers-by. He needs to get to the hotel by 5:00 PM, before all the rooms are taken. When he doesn’t collect enough money for a room, he buys a CTA pass so he can sleep on the Red Line all night, from Howard to 95th Street and back again.

Despite his circumstances, Scooter is a man of faith. He believes he is being held in the palm of God’s hand. He nurtures his relationship with God by attending daily mass and reading his Bible daily. He shares with me his concern about the growth in his abdomen, which is now the size of a grapefruit. He goes to the clinic when he can afford it to have fluid drained from it.

Scooter is a realist. He knows he needs the daily handouts he receives to survive on the street, but hopes people are giving from the heart, not just out of pity. He says we’re all the same underneath our clothes, whether we’re rich or poor, black or white.
Look for Scooter as you pass by St. Peters Church in the loop. He’ll be there with a ready smile and a story to share.

Join me in supporting folks like Scooter as I work to raise $5,000 for men and women who are homeless as I train for the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. Tax deductible donations can be made at http://www.active.com/donate/crossroadsrunners/edduffy

Stories from the Street: Lenne's Story

When I first met Lenna she was opening the door for an elderly woman entering the Dunkin Donuts at the corner of Wabash and Adams. Lenna said she doesn’t go around opening doors for everyone, but "this lady looked like she needed some help."
I introduced myself and shook her hand. As our eyes met, I could see a lot of pain and fear behind her eyes. As we talked she became more relaxed and shared her experience of being homeless for 5 years and selling Streetwise.

Before I knew it she was telling me the story of how she was studying to get her GED. She pulled out here recent test scores from her purse and showed me that she had earned a passing grade in all areas of the test except for Math. She scored a 370, but needed a 410. She was determined to pass and leverage this success to get a better paying job.

Though we spoke for just a few minutes she shared with me her hopes, her desires, and her dreams. I don’t know all of what she’s been through in her past, but I know she’s determined to persevere and get off the streets in the near future. Let’s all say a prayer in support of Lenna and her journey to a better life.

Join me in supporting folks like Lenna as I work to raise $5,000 for men and women who are homeless as I train for the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. Tax deductible donations can be made at http://www.active.com/donate/crossroadsrunners/edduffy