From June 25 to 27, 18 Bishop Ahr students participated in the fifth annual Ahr Service Week: Building a Civilization of Love. The week, sponsored by the Campus Ministry Department, provided the students with the opportunity to learn about the two pillars of Catholic Social Teaching: charity and social justice, deepen their relationship with God, and discuss the issues that are impacting our world.
On Tuesday June 25, the students had the opportunity to meet and share with Bishop James F. Checcio, Bishop of Metuchen, about what it means to be a prophet in today’s world and to discuss the issues that the young people face today. Before the Bishop arrived, the students were given a presentation on Prophets by our Campus Minister Sister Cynthia Marie Babyak, C.S.S.F. and then were provided an opportunity to share about the prophets that have made an impact in their life.
On Wednesday June 26, the group discussed what it means to feed the hungry. Ms. Patricia Krupinski, our Latin teacher, spoke about the importance of meeting the basic needs of every human being. The students helped to prepare 400 lunches that were then taken to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). In the afternoon, Sister Antonelle Chunka, C.S.S.F. spoke to the group about the work that she has done with people who live on the street, gang members, immigrants, and those in prison. It was an eye-opening experience about how we can all do something beautiful for God.
That night, the students learned how “charity begins at home” and began their service project for the Bishop Ahr community. Their task was to clean all of the lockers in the building. Mrs. Lynne Braine, Social Studies Chair and Queen of the Locker clean-up, joined the group and taught the students the best way to effectively clean the lockers.
On Thursday, June 27, the final day, the group explored various ways of praying. A presentation by Sister Rebecca Piatek, C.S.S.F. on the Divine Mercy Chaplet provided the students with the experience of how strengthening our own prayer lives can give us what we need to do God’s work.
At various times during the week the students were provided opportunities to celebrate Mass, to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and to learn more about social justice issues in the world such as poverty and the Syrian Refugee Crisis. They watched two documentaries from the nonprofit Living On One to put a face on a story.
All the students and adults who participated in the service week truly helped to Build a Civilization of Love in our community!