Christian Service Info

Welcome to the Christian Service Web Page! Why a web page for Christian Service? We are a very active and exciting part of what Jesuit High School is all about, and we think this is a good way to keep you informed of issues and events happening in the area of social justice.

First . . . The History:

Service to others has been an integral part of Jesuit formation and education since the Society of Jesus was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola over 500 years ago. In our time, the commitment to serve others was emphasized by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J., who said: “Today our prime educational objective must be to form men and women for others; men and women who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors. The education imparted in Jesuit schools must be equal to the demands of justice in the world. What kind of people are needed in the world today? Men and women for others.”

Next . . . The Philosophy:

Jesuit High School’s “Statement of Philosophy” states: “The spiritual dimension of the students’ development is fostered through their incorporation into a community where catholic beliefs, morals and values, inspired by faith in the Gospel and belief in the full brotherhood and sisterhood of the human family, are taught, professed and experienced, and where personal action is proposed as a response.

Finally . . . The Program:

Christian Service is required of all students at Jesuit, and opportunities to reflect on the Christian dimension of service are part of the curriculum at all four levels. The theme of Freshman Christian Service is “Family.” Students collect food on their overnight retreat and for the Christmas Food Drive and continue by completing 16 hours of service with and/or for their own families while enrolled in Global Studies. The Sophomore theme is “Friends.” Sophomores work with one another to complete 16 hours of service while enrolled in Morality A. Juniors and Seniors complete their service hours at sites in the Sacramento community that serve people with “special needs.” Juniors complete 16 hours of service while enrolled in Social Justice, and Seniors take a one-semester course entitled “Christian Service” which includes 50 hours of service in the community and 10 hours of class time.

Additionally . . . Placement Sites . . .

Selection of Christian Service sites for upperclassmen is based on the fundamental criterion that students have an opportunity to work directly with people who have special needs. The objective is to place students in agencies that:

a) allow for direct contact with those who are marginalized in our culture;
b) expose the root causes of marginalization;
c) work to counter the causes of marginalization;
d) enable them to reach out to others in Christian fellowship.

Students have a wide variety of choice when it comes to selecting service placements. Sites include agencies that serve the elderly, the poor and the homeless, the physically and developmentally challenged, children of prison inmates, at-risk youth and pre-school aged children. Sophomores can make lunches for children at the Mustardseed School for homeless children at Loaves and Fishes, or cook and serve breakfast at Maryhouse or Wellspring Center, both places for homeless women and children.  Juniors can participate in an overnight “Plunge” at Loaves and Fishes where they simulate some of the experiences of homelessness.  Summer school options for seniors include service immersion trips to Mexico and Latin America and counselor positions at camps for the handicapped.

. . . and Reflection:

At every level, but especially at the upper levels, reflection is seen as an indispensable part of Christian Service. In Jesuit schools, learning is expected to move beyond rote knowledge to the development of the more complex learning skills of understanding, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Jesuit education insists that students consider the significance of what they learn and to integrate that meaning into their lives. Reflection helps students make connections between their personal experience of service and the larger issues of social justice.

Fr. Ed Kinerk, the President of Rockhurst College, a Jesuit college in Kansas City, Missouri, said it best: “It is easy to say that we want to love God and do good. However, Ignatius would gently push us further by asking what that sentiment means for us concretely. Love always expresses itself in deeds. Jesuit education is practical because it is an education for life, for a better life. Cooperative education, service learning and an emphasis on giving back to the communities in which we live are essential components of Jesuit education.”