Gonzaga High School Combines
Service And Reflection

EMMITSBURG, MD ~ August 2, 2007
In the summer, one would expect to find any average high school student out with friends, at the beach, or working a summer job to make extra money. The young men from Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC, are anything but average; they are outstanding.

Gonzaga High School, which is run and supported by the Jesuit Priests and Brothers, prides itself on its dedication and emphasis on service and their motto, AMDG — "All for the glory of God." This commitment was beautifully evident during the two weeks that the students were in the Emmitsburg area for a service trip.

The connection between the Daughters of Charity's Seton Outreach Center and Gonzaga goes back several years to when the campus ministry was looking for a place to expose the students to a different aspect of poverty; one that involved serving the rural, working poor.

Along with Stephanie Durbin, the coordinator, and faculty chaperones, two groups of Gonzaga students spent a week staying at the Daughter of Charity Provincial House and serving at various organizations and local homes of Seton Center clients. They generously offered their time at the Emmitsburg Early Learning Center, Thorpewood Retreat Center, ARC of Carroll County, Up-County Family Center, the Emmitsburg Crisis Pregnancy Center, and the Emmitsburg Food Bank. Also, Seton Center connected them with clients needing help with yard work and household repairs.

The Seton Center clients and staff of the various organizations were pleased the by students' hard work and maturity. "I wanted to thank them and return the favor for all they had done for me, so I baked them a cake," one Seton Center client said.

Their week was not simply about the manual labor, however. Each night, the groups returned to the Provincial House for some recreation, dinner, and small group discussion. They shared stories from their day and reflected on the presence of God in each ministry. On Thursday night of the week, all joined in a Mass of Thanksgiving, including Sr. Mary Pavonarius and Liz Sjoberg, whom they invited to participate.

The Gonzaga students came away from their week of service with many lessons learned about themselves and others. "By helping these deserving people, I can really see how our motto is justified," a student said. One student commented on how much the experience had built up their community: "We were able to bond as a group as we served others. It unified us."