Summer Service:
Camp Bosco Camp Bosco (formerly Camp Tygart) is a Catholic adventure camp run by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston that is celebrating its 50th season of summer camping. Christ Jesus is the heart of Camp Bosco. Relationships developed, memories made, and growth experienced through adventure, camping/backpacking, fun, prayer, and Sacraments are what make this place special.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development Internship (summer and year-long internships): CCHD funds a number of stipend-provided summer, semester, and year-long internships for Catholics in the United States to gain experience working with and on behalf of the poor. These internships occur in around 30 CCHD diocesan offices in the United States, as well as in the CCHD office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the office of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) in Washington, DC
Catholic Urban Project (summer only): Catholic Urban Project invites young adults to live in Catholic community while giving direct service to the urban poor. CUP young adult missionaries deepen their faith through an intentional prayer life and living the Gospel call to service. Their main service opportunity is a six or eight week mission based in Ypsilanti, MI, that serves the struggling families living in Ypsilanti, Flint and Detroit.
L'Arche USA L'Arche USA has opportunities for people to serve as L'Arche Assistants for summer. Founded in 1964 by Jean Vanier, L'Arche enables people with and without disabilities to share their lives in communities of faith and friendship. Community members are transformed through relationships of mutuality, respect, and companionship as they live, work, pray, and play together.
At L'Arche, persons with a developmental disability are known as "core members," and "assistants" are those who come to share life with them. Assistants accompany core members in their activities of daily life: creating home and supporting core members in sharing their gifts within the house and the larger community.
LeaderworX LeaderworX is a transformative summer program for young adults interested in living in community, sharing their faith, discussing social justice issues and doing service.
The program consists of two components, Formation weeks and WorX weeks.
- Formation weeks: Community members spend time getting to know each other, participating in robust discussions, taking trips, doing service, praying together and more! This past summer our LeaderworX community took a trip to Washington DC to learn about immigration reform, served breakfast in Trenton, spent a day at a water park, and went to church together.
- WorX weeks: During these weeks LeaderworX members help to facilitate week long social justice/service trips for middle and high school students. These trips allow LeaderworX participants to share what they believe, mentor young people, and give back to the community. Some of our community partners include nursing homes, day cares, summer camps, soup kitchens, day programs for adults with delelopmental disabilities, food pantries, and farmers. These are truly life changing trips for the teenagers who attend them.
Manus Christi ManusChristi means "hands of Christ" and is a week long mission experience. High school groups from around the country come together for prayer, formation, and to serve the BHPC's neighbors in the community. Staff will work with youth and chaperones facilitating their mission experience. Staff will help young people pray, be community, live out works of Christian charity, learn about Catholic social thought, and have fun.
Young Disciples Apostolate (summer only): The Young Disciples are an apostolate of Catholic young adults that travel from town to town to evangelize and catechize in rural communities and reservations in the diocese of Fargo, North Dakota. Through their witness, marked by the joy and hope of faith, the Young Disciples Teams seek to challenge youth to love Jesus Christ and to embrace the life of His Church -- their mission is evangelization and catechesis
Post-Graduate Service:
André House of Hospitality Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross, André House is a ministry to the poor and vulnerable on the streets of Phoenix, Core Staff Community is a year long, full time commitment for young adults who want to grow in both faith and service. André House offers room and board, a stipend, and an educational scholarship at the end of the year of service. The year of service runs from approximately August 1 to August 1.
Bishop Hodges Missionaries Bishop Hodges Missionaries work with the diocesan Youth Board and assist with diocesan youth events like Jr. High Rally, Confirmation Retreats, High School Conference, ect. Work in youth and young adult ministry locally at St. Brendan's and Davis & Elkins College. Plan and facilitate leadership events, retreats and rallies. Missionaries get valuable youth ministry experience including formation in retreat design and facilitation.
Cabrini Mission Corps Cabrini missioners serve full-time in Cabrini missions and live in community with the Missionary Sisters, sharing in their lives as all learn from one another. They are committed to a journey in faith and to promoting gospel values in everyday life. They strive for personal growth through prayer, community and ministry and a simple lifestyle. CMC missioners want to experience the meaning of the phrase: I can do all things in God who strengthens me. Phil 4:13
Christ the King Service Corps The Christ the King Service Corps is a faith-based community of full-time volunteers living and working in Northwest Detroit. Volunteers commit for one or more years, and are provided housing food, use of a community car, medical insurance and a small monthly stipend. CKSC provides volunteers the opportunity to reflect on Faith, Service and Simplicity as the foundation of their experience serving others in Northwest Detroit. The CKSC is seeking new volunteers for the volunteer year beginning in August.
Dominican Volunteers Dominican Volunteers are committed men and women who give 11-12 months (second year renewable) in ministry as well as in Dominican community. Volunteers live in Dominican communities around the United States. Possible urban placements include New York City, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Northern California, Grand Rapids, and St. Louis. Possible rural placements exist with one of several Dominican organic farms, including those in Springfield, IL, Racine, WI, and Columbus, OH, or placement with the Holy Family Birthing Center for certified midwives or nurses in Westlaco, TX, on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Episcopal Service Corps The Episcopal Service Corps is a federation of young adult service programs across the United States. ESC helps young adults discern the inner "voice" that is calling them to their life's work, and to develop the skills to listen and respond through a life of service. ESC provides opportunities for young adults of various backgrounds to work for justice, deepen spiritual awareness and discern vocation, develop leadership skills in the paradigm of servant leadership, and live a simple, sustainable lifestyle.
Franciscan Mission Service Francisan Mission Service prepares and supports lay Catholics for two-year international, one-year domestic and 1-2 week short-term mission service opportunities in solidarity with impoverished and marginalized communities across the globe.
As Francisan followers of Christ, we build partnerships with Catholic women and men who are inspired to live and serve in solidarity with economically poor communities across the globe - and to bring the transformative experience of mission to North American societies and churches as advocates for peace, justice, reconciliation and care of creation.
FrancisCorps FrancisCorps is a 50/50 experience. It's 50% about the wonderful service volunteers do to serve the poor. But it's also 50% about the experience of community that you will share with other volunteers in a community setting. FrancisCorps provide volunteers with both men and women Franciscans who we call the "Co-Ministers". These religious and lay Franciscans are volunteers who come for dinner once a week and offer their support to the volunteers. FrancisCorps volunteers commit to regular faith community meetings and prayer along their service to the poor.
Franciscan Outreach Volunteers FOV is a one year (renewable) program based on the values of service, community, spirituality and simple living. Volunteers live and work at Franciscan Outreach, a non-profit agency providing emergency and long-term services to those who are homeless, poor and marginalized in Chicago. Volunteers work directly with those who are homeless, providing hospitality and services the soup kitchen and shelter sites.
Good Shepherd Volunteers Good Shepherd Volunteers collaborates with the Sisters of the Good Shephard to provide full-time volunteers with the opportunity to work in social service ministries and to use their God-given talents serving women, adolescents, and children affected by poverty, violence, and neglect. Good Shepherd Volunteers was founded in 1992 by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, who desired to incorporate more people into their ministries around the country. GSV was founded with two volunteers in New York, and grew into a program that now places volunteers across the US and around the world.
Jesuit Volunteers Jesuit Volunteer Corps supports organizations that provide direct service to people who are poor and marginalized by placing volunteers at schools, non-profits, and other sites around the world. During their service, young adults immerse in and reflect on four Catholic, Ignatian values: spiritual growth, simple living, community with other JVs and those they serve, and the pursuit of social justice.
Koinonia Community Established in 1942, Koinonia Farm is a Christian community located in Americus, GA. They strive to live a simple, peaceful, shared life and believe in the brother and sisterhood of all humankind. In its early existence, Koinonia's very presence challenged racism, militarism, and materialism. Their Community Intern program offers people a chance to live at Koinonia for 3-4 months, go through orientation together, have spiritual and work mentors, and participate in the life of the community.
L'Arche USA L'Arche USA has opportunities for people to serve as L'Arche Assistants for a post-graduate opportunities. Founded in 1964 by Jean Vanier, L'Arche enables people with and without disabilities to share their lives in communities of faith and friendship. Community members are transformed through relationships or mutuality, respect, and companionship as they live, work, pray, and play together.
At L'Arche, persons with a developmental disability are known as "core members," and "assistants" are those who come to share life with them. Assistants accompany core members in their activities of daily life: creating home and supporting core members in sharing their gifts within the house and the larger community.
Maggie's Place Maggie's Place is a community that provides houses of hospitality for expectant women who are alone or on the streets, and wish to achieve their goals in a dignified and welcoming atmosphere. Volunteers with Maggie's Place help provide for the immediate physical and emotional needs of its guests including shelter, food, clothing and a supportive community, and provide a safe environment for them to live in while they develop the skills they need to live independently.
Mercy Volunteers In partnership with the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, lay women and men of Mercy Volunteer Corps (MVC) enter into relationship with people who are economically poor and marginalized. In a spirit of mutuality, volunteers cultivate mercy and justice in the world by embracing compassionate service, social justice, spirituality and a simple lifestyle in community.
Mission Year Mission Year is a year-long program where Christian young people live in an urban neighborhood volunteering and loving their neighbors. It's an opportunity for anyone 18-29, single or married, to spend a year following Jesus's command to "Love the Lord your God, and love your neighbor as yourself." By partnering with a local church, volunteering at a service site, and spending time with neighbors, Mission Year Members effectively impact their communities while catching a deeper vision for what the Kingdom of God is like.
Network: Catholic Social Justice Lobby Associate Program NETWORK Associate Program is an 11-month intensive educational and professional development experience in legislative advocacy rooted in Catholic principles of social justice. From September through July, associates will immerse themselves in Washington D.C. and all it has to offer, undertaking experiences in legislative policy, research, lobbying, coalition-building, community organizing, curriculum development, networking, and media. Associates will get the chance to create relationships with legislators and non-profit organizations throughout the area, as well as experience the ins and outs of the D.C. policy world. Focused and engaging, this opportunity gives young professionals the chance to give back to the community by advocating for federal legislation that has the potential to improve the lives of millions of women, men, and children.
The Olancho Aid Foundation Schools funded by this foundation empower students to instigate social change through knowledge. Part of this knowledge comes from experience, and volunteers are essential in bringing diverse perspectives and skills to our classrooms. Each day students learn about the world and their role in it. There's nothing more rewarding than being part of that journey.
PULSE PULSE cultivates a community of young servant leaders to transform Pittsburgh. Participants work in wide variety of different nonprofits, ranging from the arts to community development, social service to environmental. PULSE volunteers are trained and equipped to become servant leaders in Pittsburgh. Regular, ongoing personal and professional development, mentoring relationships and other opportunities are provided to give participants the support they need to succeed.
Rostro de Cristo Founded in 1988 by Fr. Jim Ronan of the Archdiocese of Boston, MA, Rostro de Cristo (Face of Christ) is a Lay Volunteer Program of the Catholic Church based in Guayaquil, Ecuador. - The lay volunteers and retreat participants are young people from the U.S. who have been called by God to Ecuador to deepen their faith in two main ways: by living and praying in community and by serving others less fortunate than themselves.
Vincentian Mission Corps The Vincentian Mission Corps is a yearlong volunteer program for young adults, ages 21-30. Volunteers live in community and serve the poor in the spirit of St. Vincent DePaul and St. Louise de Marillac.
For more information about summer service, contact the Office of Civic and Social Engagement at saintmarys.edu/ocse.