On Monday, January 30, schools are encouraged to celebrate Catholic schools in their communities during a “National Day of Service.” In collaboration with Catholic Charities USA and Catholic Relief Services, NCEA encourages schools to remember the opportunity to serve in their communities by working with Catholic social services and non-profit organizations.
A central aspect of Catholic education is learning the importance of service to others. When students take part in service activities – both local and beyond – they demonstrate the values and faith they gain through their Catholic education and learn how to make the world a better place. When they observe how others serve the community, they gain an appreciation for how they can continue to serve others their entire lives.
At their core, Catholic schools are called to serve the poor and vulnerable, uphold the dignity of human life and form disciples who bring about justice. In light of this call, the National Catholic Educational Association and Catholic Relief Services have come together in partnership to create a FREE “Syrian Refugee Toolkit” for download and use during Catholic Schools Week 2017.
Pray
A beautiful prayer that St. Francis wrote is called the Canticle of the Creatures. In fact, this prayer is where Pope Francis got the title for his letter. When we pray this canticle and ponder the words, we become more aware of our relationship with God, with each other, and with all of creation. It’s a good way to understand what we need to learn and do in caring for earth.
Learn
CCUSA is helping people in many ways all the time. One way that is closely connected with care for the earth is disaster services. CCUS helps individuals and families recover when a natural disaster like a hurricane or flood hits their home. CCUSA also provides training for communities on how to prepare for disasters before they happen.
Connect
Connect with your local Catholic Charities organization to volunteer on a local community level. Click here to search for an agency near you.
Participate
Become a part of our movement to lift the more than 46 million Americans out of poverty – and change the lives of millions more who are in need – by contributing your time, expertise, or financial gifts to Catholic Charities USA or to any of our member agencies.
Act
Think about some ways that you can honor your relationship with creation in a way that cares for the earth and its people, and that honors God. As a school community you can do a number of things such as: pick up the trash on the school grounds, develop an action plan to prepare for disaster and brainstorm ways your class can protect Mother Earth.
