It’s the time of year when the novelty of the new school year has worn off and reality has started to set in. Along with academics, clubs and sports, another requirement- Christian Service Hours- is again shared by students at CCHS.
These hours, not to be confused with community service, are vital to our development as well-rounded citizens. “Christian Service is what you do for the love of God and neighbor, and Community Service is what you do for the community in which you live,” said Mrs. Marge Price, who plays an important role in the Christian Service program.
Mrs. Price keeps track of the number of hours each student completes for graduation, verifies the hours by reviewing supervision sheets, and answers questions that parents and students pose.
Mrs. Price’s statements are rooted in her firm Christian beliefs.
“I know each of us has been placed on earth to praise and serve the God who created us. Each of us has been given a task to do; a place to serve and the tools to do it,” she said.
Cathedral requires sixty hours of Christian Service Hours to graduate; twenty hours must be completed by working with the poor and disadvantaged, another twenty must be completed by helping children, and the final twenty must be completed by working with the sick and elderly. All sixty hours must be completed by the last Friday in May of a student’s junior year.
According to Ms. Dawn Brannman, Director of Christian Services, the best way to accumulate Christian Service Hours is to find organizations like St. Vincent de Paul (where all freshmen will have a chance to serve this year), nursing homes, and Catholic charities, to name a few.
Ms. Brannman has other important jobs in the CCHS Christian Service program. She is in charge of LIGHT groups, faculty service days, and partnering with organizations that students can volunteer at, such as inner-city Catholic schools.
The Cathedral Catholic webpage offers an abundance of volunteer opportunities as well as detailed information on the Christian Service program, mission, and the benefits of getting involved. In addition, students may turn in their hours online.
To submit Christian Service hours, students must visit the Cathedral website under the “Campus Ministry” tab. From there, they may click on the “Christian Service Hours” option, and then enter their student ID and password (home phone number). After filling out the online form, students should turn in the supervisor sheet required for all volunteer opportunities to Mrs. Price, who is now located in the library.
Mrs. Price said that there are a large number of students who go above and beyond in serving others, but there are also those who simply complete the requirement, just to get it done.
Most colleges favor students who have completed many service hours. Ms. Brannman said, “Colleges like hours spent helping the poor and disadvantaged and working with children and seniors. Basically, anytime colleges see a student going out of their comfort zone, it shows a willingness to grow, which is very appealing to schools looking to admit quality students.”
