Volunteer service

We Serve in Community as Community

Jesus gives us a sad reality.  “You will always have poor people with you.”(John 12:8)    Yet, in those poor, are the hearts and souls, the smiles and tears of the people Jesus preferred.  We have a responsibility to all humanity because we believe that Jesus gained the Kingdom for all humankind.  One of the most important messages to be gained from the efforts of Vatican II (an ecumenical council held in the early 1960’s) is the absolute necessity for the attainment and preservation of human dignity for all.  “The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God.” (GS 19)  We are called to solidarity with all humanity in that we share a common Creator, a common Savior and a common inheritance.  Our efforts to recognize our communion with all members of the planet have inspired new theologies (feminist, liberation, ecological), new initiatives in environmental healing and maintenance, and a new awareness of how our fair share is astonishingly less that what we have.  We are again called to recognize our communion with the whole of creation in finding our right place among all that is good.

1. Briefly describe your service experience.

2. What are the key understandings for you regarding human dignity?

“Work is fundamental to the dignity of the person.” (Pope Francis)

3.  Do you agree?

4.  How does human dignity correlate with the concept of Charity?

5.  How did you experience human dignity being reinforced during your service experience?

Your contribution should be a minimum of two pages. There are five elements to address in the forum.