In most people’s minds, when they hear the word “service,” they usually think of feeding the homeless, volunteering at Church or visiting the sick or elderly. Some people go beyond these typical types of service, taking it to a whole new level. One different approach to serving others is washing the feet of the homeless. Mr. Nicolas Hurt did exactly that as a service project.

“It was really a powerful experience for me because you’re working with a part of the body that isn’t necessarily the most pleasant part of the body, and it kind of reminded me of my favorite Gospel passage of the washing of the feet,” Mr. Hurt said.

That particular passage in the Gospel of John, which was used in his wedding, is special to Mr. Hurt.

“In service we metaphorically say to wash the feet of others,” Mr Hurt said. “Not only did I do it metaphorically, but I did it literally too.”

This year, taking his service experiences with him, Mr. Hurt will be Cathedral Catholic High School’s new Campus Ministry service teacher.

Mr. Hurt has been involved with both domestic and international service trips, including CCHS’s Nicaragua trip and Los Angeles Service Plunge.

Although Mr. Hurt has a lot of experience with service events, he said, “The most important thing I can bring to [the Campus Ministry service class] is a passion and enthusiasm for Christian Service.”

In the Campus Ministry service class, Mr. Hurt provides an atmosphere for people like himself who like to serve.

“This class is like a family,” said Jennifer Bumbaugh ‘16, a current service campus minister.  “I get to be around other people who want to serve.  [The service campus ministers] are all passionate about serving.”

Taking on the service program developed by former campus ministry service teacher, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Hurt hopes to maintain and expand the service program at CCHS.

“I am not going to take away anything that Mr. Dunn has done,” Mr. Hurt said. “I think he left in a very good situation and left the program strong. So now, I just have to keep it up. It is in a good position, and I hope to make it in a better position.”

He added that he would not get rid of anything in the program but might make some additions, including having a service class for both juniors and seniors. Mr. Hurt also hopes to make more service opportunities available to all the students, and three new service opportunities open to seniors in the months of October, January, and February.

The service opportunities “will be something really good for any seniors that want to go on it,” Mr. Hurt said.

As the new Campus Ministry service teacher, Mr. Hurt hopes that the students enjoy service, consider making it a part of their lives, and feel challenged by it.

Drawing from a Scripture verse in the Gospel of Mark that says, “Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee,” Mr. Hurt said Jesus went where He normally did not go, so He could hang out with the people pushed to the margins of society.

Likewise, Mr. Hurt said, “I hope our service program in some way pushes all of us here at Cathedral to go to the other side, to break out of our Cathedral bubble, and to see the people who society has pushed to the margin.”