Trip #3: Volunteer Service Panel

On Friday, December 18, students in our class had a panel discussion and Q&A with our head of secondary school, who did post-grad volunteer service, as well as two volunteers and their coordinator from Franciscan Outreach. Students had the opportunity to ask questions about the volunteers' background in becoming volunteers in service as well as what their lives are like as they serve with the poor on a daily basis with their community.

Representing our class this week on the blog are Natalia Kieta, Catalina Tueros, and Steph Sefah...

Natalia Kieta

In our world, there are a lot of individuals who struggle to eat a good meal and to find a place to sleep at night. Although we have many who struggle to get through each day, we also have many people who try to support those below the poverty line by volunteering at soup kitchens, shelters, etc. One place that helps care for the poor all year long is the Franciscan Outreach Marquard Center, and last Friday we had the opportunity to speak with two of the ten volunteers who have sacrificed a year of their life to help serve at this center.

Over fifty years ago, Father Phil was bothered by the idea that many prisoners had nowhere to go after they were done serving their time in jail. In response to his emotions, he decided to open a center that would feed and sleep sixteen people per night. Over the years, the Franciscan Outreach Center grew in numbers, and currently forty-five individuals sleep there per night and around 140 people are served a hot meal daily. What is interesting about this center from an economic viewpoint is that the majority of the food, clothes, toiletries, etc. are all donated. Also, this center hosts a fundraiser where many people donate money to help run the center and to help provide for necessities. In conclusion, society plays a big role in aiding and providing for Franciscan Outreach.

Listening to the two volunteers talk about their experiences thus far has allowed me to connect them to the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector from Luke 18:9-14. This parable talks about how humility is the greatest trait that God looks for in an individual. In my opinion, both volunteers, Emily and Katie, are very humble in the eyes of God because they do not brag about the service they do, nor do they complain about not getting rewarded for their actions. In this case, they are like the tax collector where they do what they signed up for and act upon what they are required to do. Service is their calling, and they aren’t using this as an excuse to show how wonderful they are through the sacrifices they had to make in order to become volunteers. During the discussion, it was evident that the Catholic Social Teaching theme Preferential Option for the Poor was present. Through this theme, Christ wants to ensure that we consider the poor in every decision we make individually, communally and socially, which is what Emily and Katie do on a daily basis at the Franciscan Outreach Center.

As one of the speakers, Emily, said, “It is a very rewarding feeling to form a relationship with some of the people that dine or sleep at the center. Sometimes all they need is a person to vent to because their lifestyle is so difficult, and they have no one to turn to in difficult times. It feels good to be able to give someone your time because sometimes that’s all they need.” I wholeheartedly agree with Emily because as we talked about before,

Sometimes a smile is all a person needs to feel special. To me, it is very hard to see so many people struggle with something that I expect to have every day, such as food or clean clothes, but at the same time, it makes me feel better that there are people like Emily and Katie who do so much to make just a little difference in the marginalized world.

Finally, after processing Emily and Katie’s words, I came to realize that I do not have to take a year off of my life to help make a difference in the world. I can also simply smile and just say hello to someone I see lingering on the streets, and that itself will make the biggest difference in a person’s face. Sometimes we underestimate the needs of the poor; the simplest task can make the greatest difference.

Catalina Tueros

As a nation, it is apparent that we choose to strip away many people's human dignity and proceed with our lives. These actions are committed by many in today’s society. There are also those who acknowledge the marginalized people and try in their best efforts to guide them on the right path. In Friday’s discussion panel, my classmates and I were able to go in depth with three full-time volunteers from Franciscan Outreach. We were able to gain new insight on the organization and what each volunteer was able to do. It was an amazing experience to listen to their hopes and their personal feelings about being a full-time volunteer. Franciscan Outreach is a nonprofit organization that provides service to those who are less fortunate. Housing is also provided for men and women. The Franciscan Outreach is an excellent example of people who are willing to dedicate their lives for the common good of others. Service is needed throughout our nation.

Franciscan Outreach helps provide for the less fortunate. I was able to learn throughout the discussion that each volunteer chose to dedicate one year of their lives to service. Not many people are willing to sacrifice their time to acknowledge the poor. Every year, the number of homelessness continues to increase. Many people go on without proper housing, food, and thrival rights. They are truly affected by the decisions that are made in the community. The volunteers at Franciscan Outreach expressed their gratitude and their love for changing people’s lives. No one is ever denied, and there is always plentiful food and clothing for those who are in need. The less fortunate in Chicago are able to benefit from this organization given the fact that it never turns anyone away. The two volunteers expressed the hardships that come along with the job as well. Many people who come to Franciscan Outreach come from a broken home, family, and life. These people are forgotten from society. Everything that is used in the organization is donated. The city of Chicago helps control and manage inventory through these donations. The city fully supports the organization and the message behind it. The city of Chicago donates money each year to help with costs. Private donors also help with the costs. People in Chicago are willing to work with the less fortunate. Relationships are built with the people and the volunteers given the fact that the volunteers are the only consistent people they have in their lives. The volunteers also form bonds with other volunteer members and they support each other. No one is ever excluded. They are able to connect and establish teamwork. The beliefs and decisions affect the community by setting a positive chain reaction - the more good that is being done, the more people become influenced to do the same. It will affect future generations and allow them to be aware of current issues. A positive impact is imprinted upon the people.

Coming together as a community can be related to many bible stories such as Mark 12:41-45. In this story, Jesus collected the offerings from the people. Many wealthy people placed their money into the basket. A poor and widowed woman offered all of her savings. The woman was willing to sacrifice. The theme found in this passage is to give. Those who are willing to volunteer at Franciscan Outreach and other organizations are willing to give their time and help those in need. They are willing to sacrifice a year of their lives in order to do so just as the widow did. The Catholic Social Teaching theme this passage is tied to is the Call to Family, Community, and Participation. It is the ability to constantly stay active within family and community, and to participate. One is able to use their faith to form decisions and actions through these callings. Christ calls us to uphold the domestic church as roots for participation and society. We must unite as a nation to help end poverty. I am in awe at the fact that these young people were able to step up and dedicate their lives to help the less fortunate. I was able to give back to my community by donating clothes I no longer use to charity. It is my way to give back to the less fortunate. I believe that Christ calls our nation to be aware and to lift each other up.

As a community, in order to help influence others to work together we should make them more aware. The people should try to contribute by donating clothes that are no longer being used, toiletries, and provide small donations. Anything truly counts and is deeply appreciated. The people should unite and help establish this. Giving back can help change people’s lives. More organizations should also be provided within our communities with higher rates for homelessness.

As people, we have the right to thrive and to succeed. We should always keep others in mind who continue to suffer. The Franciscan Outreach organization helps provide a support system as well as shelter that allows people to come together in unity. Ultimately, we are the future of our nation. It is up to us to make a change.

Steph Sefah

On December 18th, we had the opportunity to speak with a panel of volunteers from Franciscan Outreach. Franciscan Outreach is the home to many homeless women and men in Chicago. The shelter was originally founded as a safe haven for prisoners who just got of jail but now houses 100-180 men and women. In our interview with the volunteers, we were able to find out more about the life of a volunteer at Franciscan Outreach, also about what motivates(ed) or called them to the shelter. The shelter was started by Phillip Marquard, a Franciscan friar who wanted to help fill the gap between the rich and the poor by opening a shelter, a place of welcome for society's marginalized.

Father Marquard's vision is still alive today. We see this in the countless numbers of people who work for the shelter, which is a nonprofit, and people like Katie, Emily and the other volunteers who have given up their year for the benefit of the less fortunate. We also see this in the hundreds of homeless people who call the center their home. In this section the Katie and Emily started off by telling us what a day in their lives looked like. Katie, who is from Georgia, traveled to Chicago after graduating for college less then a year ago. She left her family and friends to do service and change others' lives. Katie's job is to cook and do the laundry for the guests who stay at the shelter. Katie finds her job very rewarding. Many people think too highly of themselves to wash the clothes of people who might sometime smell bad; I think Katie sees this as an humbling deed. When asked if she loves what she's doing Katie's responded, "Yes, the smile of their faces makes it worth it". The bible states in Mark 12:31 that we should love our neighbor as ourselves - Katie does this every day at the shelter.

The second volunteer we spoke with was Emily, who spoke to us about how she has always loved doing service as a child. Emily's job at the shelter is to spend the night with the women who stay at the shelter. She makes sure there is peace between the guests and also that all their common needs are met. Emily finds this job very rewarding as well because she meets women her age who are homeless. This humbles Emily because she realizes God's love for her and how lucky she is to be at this point in her life. One thing I loved about Emily was that she feels called to help women who have been abused, and the majority of the women she meets have been abused. Emily's desire to help women is amazing. The bible states in Romans 12:10 that we should be devoted to one another in love and Emily dose this everyday.

In conclusion, I have learned a lot about service and the importance of it. I am grateful to God for all the blessings I have from my family and for people like Emily and Katie who remind me to stay humble and to be thankful. This interview has opened my eyes about the paths I can take before and after college through service. Service is one thing I can do to make a change to fill the gap between society and its outcasts. I am thankful to people like Katie and Emily who are making a change and doing what God calls them to do.

Note: Minor grammar/style edits have been made to each post not affecting the content or perspective of these students.

Trip #2: Franciscan Outreach Marquard Center

On Thursday, December 10, students traveled to the Franciscan Outreach Marquard Center, near North and Ashland on the north side of Chicago. Students supported the volunteer community that lives there and the many ministries they sustain, including nightly suppers, shower and laundry access, social work, food and clothing donations, and more.

Representing our class this week on the blog are Liz Ramos, Jada Shelby, and Antonio Gonzalez...

Liz Ramos

For our second urban immersion exercise, our class went to the Franciscan Outreach Marquard Center, a program where the homeless can eat, obtain clothes, obtain groceries, keep warm, or receive mail. In this exercise, I was asked to organize apparel by sex and size. As I was organizing the clothes, I began to question: who wore these clothes before? did they wash them before giving them away? what was there story behind these clothes? As I questioned the story behind these clothes, I  began to sympathize for the poor because they did not have the same abilities as me. For example, they could not wash the clothes they received, and they could not afford new, brand-name clothes, which is something we as humanity take for granted.

However, now that I begin to write my reflection, I realize I was in the same position. Back in 2008 when there was a recession, my father and my mother were unemployed since they were undocumented, and their employers were only seeking people with a work permit. Thus, my mother would pick up freelance jobs, such as cleaning houses or handing out flyers for a company. During that time, my mother would apply at this pantry to receive groceries every Tuesday. Every Tuesday for that year, I would join my mother in a line about the size of one street block, and we would wait until they called out our number to receive groceries. As we waited in line, I felt humiliated and a little ashamed because my nine-year-old mind could only understand that my family could not afford something as simple as one-dollar food items. Additionally, I would wear hand-me-downs from my best friend and from kids that my mom cleaned houses for. Thanks to the experience at the Franciscan Outreach, I feel grateful because it made me reminisce at how many advantages I have now, and I am grateful that I was able to work with others who need it, which is what the Catholic Social Teaching of the Preferential Option for the Poor calls us to do. Because of my experience of being low-income, I feel like I can identify with the marginalized population. 

Because of this experience, I feel implicated in marginalizing these people because they are pushed off to the edge of the world. How do I know? Well, as we were in the building, I noticed there was a few people in charge. There was one lady who was categorizing us students into each department, the desks for social workers were empty, and the front desk person was a homeless person which shows that not a lot of people are willing to help. Additionally, as we passed to our stations, there were boxes of clothes, shoes, and appliances cluttered all over the place, which were also indications that the program did not receive enough help from others. There are some people who do their part and help others, like my best friend who helped me or the lady that assisted us during last week's urban immersion exercise, but it is just a little help in the bigger picture of the number of citizens in Illinois or just in Chicago. For this reason, I am called to marginalize the homeless or the less fortunate population. 

Moreover, I feel like I need to respond in faith because Christ would expect me to. Christ states,
“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 21:33-34)

By this, Christ means to find love neither in money nor possessions but rather in helping the needy and doing good deeds. Therefore, I have decided that I shall respond to Christ’s call of love by helping the needy, by giving my attention to the homeless when I am waiting for the public transportation, by donating my clothes, and by giving some of my time at the Franciscan Outreach even for a couple of hours.

Jada Shelby

On December 10, 2015, our class went to the Franciscan Outreach, where we broke off into groups. The group I was in included another student, two volunteers from the center, and me. In this group, we cut up fruit for one of the five courses of that night's dinner for the homeless. While cutting, the volunteers gave us a brief overview on what they do at the center. I learned that it is a place for men to come to eat, shower, get toiletry items, and obtain a relationship with a social worker so that they are able to try and get back on their feet. At Franciscan Outreach, there are volunteers who live there full time in order to meet the basic needs for those men. They do not discriminate because at Franciscan they believe that everyone deserves another chance.

A Bible verse that I believe connects with this would be, “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’” (Deuteronomy 15:11) This is saying that there will never be a time where there is no poor man on this Earth, but we should be mindful of them by offering them our help.

This goes along with the Catholic Social Teaching of Preferential Option for the Poor, where Christ calls us to consider the poor in every decision we make individually, communally, or socially. In my opinion, Franciscan Outreach is a wonderful program because the volunteers work five days a week to give men a better life in response to this call.

I can relate to the volunteers because once upon a time my uncle did not have a place to go, so my mom allowed him to stay with us. It was during this time that he had just had a heart transplant, so he was weak. Therefore, I had to cook for him, go to the store for him, and wash his clothes for him. I could have been considered a volunteer working full time because I did not get paid and it was the summer time so I was not in school. I felt like God called me to do those things because during that time I was truly blessed with scholarship offers from St. Benedict School and I was asked to join the basketball team. It was because of those blessings that I started to realize that helping people who are less fortunate is never wrong because good things will not go unnoticed, though they might be postponed.

I think as a society we should reach out our hands to all. We should not push anyone aside because what if we were in their shoes? As a society we should find people that can help the poor and be a listening ear. We should do what Christ calls us to do in the Catholic Social Teaching of Solidarity by loving and being mindful of every single person as our brother/sister.

Antonio Gonzalez

In the afternoon of December 10, 2015, I went on a class trip to the Franciscan Outreach Marquard Center with the rest of my Catholic Social Teaching class. It was an interesting learning experience, getting to organize food on shelves and fold clothes as donations for those who need it. This organization was very organized with handling food, clothing, and the distribution of these items. Even though I was there for only an hour, the time that I spent gave me a large impression about how many homeless people there are in the city of Chicago. Not only that, the amount of food there was to organize demonstrated the amount of people that are willing to donate. Homelessness, as it is shown by many news networks and newspapers, is happening all around the world, affecting many single adults and families. It’s hard to avoid this subject, as it can easily be seen down any neighborhood or alleyway. Especially during the Christmas time, organizations and stores try to put themselves out into the consumer world to entice people by saying that they support the homeless and food pantries.

When it comes down to it, the populations that are wealthy are the one that provide most of the donations in funding. Larger organizations such as the Salvation Army have the advantage of widespread advertisement to the people. These groups not only put in money to different shelters, but they also have a wide array of volunteers to help out at any situation. Of course, this one organization cannot reach out to every single homeless man or woman, but it does its best to help as many people as possible. The Salvation Army along with many organizations in the community provides a healthy motivation for the population to tend to the needs of the homeless and/or the unemployed. Relationships can be created between the volunteer and the needy directly or indirectly based on if one may do volunteer work or purely make donations.

This can be traced back to Scripture, to the story where Jesus cured a man of leprosy. In Matthew 8:1-4, Jesus comes across a man who is suffering from this deadly disease. Instead of walking away, Jesus confronts the man and saves him from his pain. This is what God would want from his people, to help out the brothers and sisters of the world, no matter in what condition and situation. Passages like this one can help one to grow in faith and in love and service. Jesus, for example, has all the characteristics of a loving person and is not afraid to show it to everyone. The way that he lives is a good way to live life, considering the needy and suffering at all times.

After reading this passage and attending the service trip, my knowledge about how the homeless are taken care of increased in a variety of different ways. Organizing the food by the storage area showed me how different items are donated all the time like bread and canned soup. Franciscan Outreach was very similar to different places that I have volunteered at like the Lakeview Food Pantry and my local church. As a person who has grown up in the Catholic faith, the reality of homelessness is nothing new, but making personal connections with the needy makes that much more of a difference. Whenever I walk to my job at Jewel-Osco, I run across a couple of homeless men on the street, and I see them talking with other pedestrians. It goes to show that the smallest choice can make the biggest difference.

These small choices can be made in multiple ways. There are many different organizations and shelters in the Chicago area that are willing to accept anyone who is willing to volunteer. As I mentioned before, the Salvation Army is a great place to donate time or money into when it comes to helping those who are struggling. One can also spread the awareness of homelessness at any local church or among family and friends. Either way, making the effort to spread the awareness of this topic is enough. Having everyone help out with homelessness can lead to the decline of the needy and shows the people that anything can be done with enough support.

Note: Minor grammar/style edits have been made to each post not affecting the content or perspective of these students.

Trip #1: Urban Immersion Exercise

On Thursday, December 3, students traveled to Lakeview to undertake an urban immersion exercise, centered on Clark & Belmont. This activity is inspired by The Night Ministry, who have found that homeless teens use this neighborhood and intersection as a frequent meeting point and try to fend for themselves from there.

Students had the following information:

Your group will imagine that you together are one homeless teenager – you are roving around Lakeview by yourself, with only the clothes on your bag and $5 in your pocket (without knowing where your next money is coming from). Keep in mind that homeless people often have worn-out clothes, hygiene challenges, and dilemmas over breaking vs. following the laws.

Starting from this meeting point (Clark & Belmont), your group will explore an area of Lakeview (your adult will follow behind you and let you know if you need to turn around). You have 45 minutes to answer the following questions that face homeless teens every day:

1. Where/what am I going to eat?
2. Where am I going to go to the bathroom?
3. Where/how am I going to warm up?
4. Where/how am I going to sleep? 
5. Also, as you explore Lakeview, look around and take in the neighborhood: why do you think it is an attractive environment for homeless teenagers?

The pictures interspersed in this post were taken by student Aileen Juarez and me, during our urban immersion exercise. Representing our class this week on our blog, here are the thoughts of Sarah Eden, Aileen Juarez, and Valentina Cordero...

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Sarah Eden

“Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered” (Proverbs 21:13). Essentially, this tells verse from the Bible tells us that whoever does not help the poor will not as easily receive aid when this person becomes in need. In my first immersion experience as a part of my class, Social Justice and Vocations, I witness an indirect denial of aid to a hypothetical homeless teen. But first, a bit of background information about our assignment.

My class travelled to the intersection of Belmont/Clark, which is known as the main meeting location for homeless teens who live in Chicago. We were assigned to put ourselves in the shoes of a homeless teen, and we were asked to attempt to answer four essential questions within our time window of 45 minutes. These were basic questions that every homeless teen is presented with, and these include questions such as: “Where will I sleep?” or “Where will I get some food?” My group and I went to a number of smaller business who actually seemed the friendliest towards us. We also had the opportunity to go to Illinois Masonic Hospital on Wellington, which was surprisingly the rudest to our group. In the end, we concluded that in terms of finding a place to sleep we would either use the parking garage or train-hop. For food, we said it would be most beneficial to ask around at the local restaurants or travel to a soup kitchen.

In a brief analysis of this experience, I have concluded that the average small business would be more generous to the poor than those who are a part of a larger corporation. I see this because those who manage a smaller business see how difficult it can be with opening, operating, and maintaining a successful business. Those who work at a larger corporation, such as a public hospital, are more concerned about the money involved in such transactions. Generosity comes easier to those who manage a smaller company because it is also not as regulated as a hospital.

In my own opinion, I think if anything this scenario should be reversed. I believe that public places, especially hospitals, show be able to offer more than just what's required to follow standard, federal regulations (which is allowing the homeless to stay in the hospital if it is freezing or below). This also reminds me of the Bible parable, The Good Samaritan. It seems that a lot of homeless people (not just teens) have to travel door by door just to see if anyone would be able to accommodate them. This is very similar to the injured man in the parable, in which two men walked passed the injured man until the Samaritan stopped to help this poor man. It just is disappointing knowing that a hospital would deny help to those who need it the most. But let me be clear - I understand that hospitals have a responsibility to take care of those who are injured or sick, but the homeless also fall in the same sort of category.

Many actions have been taken in order to fix this issue of poverty, but it seems no matter how many programs are started or organizations that arise, there will always remain those who have less than others. In all honesty, there is not much someone like me can do aside from donating my time to help those organizations who cater to the poor. In order to fix the problem on a wider scale, the entire government and economy has to be changed which can take lifetimes in order to accomplish. I wish to end poverty, and I believe it can start with creating proper programs that run through public places, such as hospitals or libraries.

Aileen Juarez

On Thursday, the class was forced to see what it would be like being a homeless teenager in Chicago, on Clark and Belmont. Things that were already well known about the area was the lively nightlife, the wide variety of restaurants, the heavy population in the area, and the amount of security. Surprisingly, we didn't see any homeless in the area at the time, but that could've been due to how cold it was that day. Either way, we were left to find how we could live there if we had to. What we found was larger businesses were more willing to allow the use of their restrooms and offer discounts or free meals towards the homeless than smaller businesses. Fortunately, the homeless benefit from any sort of donation, but these businesses are most likely helping to seek public sympathy and reel in more customers while smaller businesses can't afford to help the homeless/just don't want to waste their resources. This isn't just in the stores and restaurants of Belmont; this is world-wide. Companies, before considering those in the community that need help, worry for their businesses first.

Any kind of help that an employee comes from someone of a higher position. So who makes the decisions for companies? Most likely the owner. An owner in most cases, such as at McDonald's, Walmart, KFC, Olive Garden, etc, probably doesn’t have an office in each store, especially considering they have multiple areas of business. They most likely sit in a large office away from all the heavy areas of poverty and may not have to deal with hungry, penniless people asking for a small bite to eat. Perhaps they just don’t know and don’t want employees just giving away free resources, forcing employees to turn away those in need. For smaller businesses, it’s more of a struggle. Usually, an owner will have an office in the building and will already be struggling with keeping the business open. This prompts the owner to tell the employees they just can’t afford to give anything away. Either way, this prompts employees to having to tell the homeless to go away. This creates a cycle, going from shop to shop, seeing whose more willing to give or at least allow them to stay there.

Sometimes businesses don’t care about what's happening to a person. Some view the homeless as pests that won’t go away. As Americans, when we imagine the homeless, we think of bearded, flea-ridden, raggedy, trash smelling weirdos for the homeless. We always say help the poor or give to the poor, and yet, we mostly walk past them and ignore them. They’re present everywhere and as a society, we appear to have accepted that. We complain and always say, well why don’t they get a job? To already appear invisible, be viewed as a nuisance, and due to no money to care for hygiene, getting a job as a homeless person is extremely difficult. To get off the streets takes time and money, without help from the ignorant, this can result in people dying homeless.

I can compare this to one story that is recited in Mass frequently: a tax collector who climbs a tree to just have one look of Jesus. He’s rich and far above others but not well liked among the people. Everyone is surprised when Jesus approaches him and asks if he can have dinner with him. This results in the tax collector being so happy that he gives away half his possessions and repays those he’s stolen from four times back. Jesus tells the man he is saved. The tax collector didn’t HAVE to give away all his possessions or repay those he’s stolen from but he did a good thing, which made him, a big sinner, stand out from the others who didn’t commit huge wrong doings. We don’t NEED to give to the poor, but if we did, we would definitely stand out in our community to for doing so. 
I for one don’t really care too much for the bible but this story does have a point. You may be the biggest person in town, the richest, the poorest, the lamest, etc, but giving to the poor will help the community, make you a well liked person, and will make you stand out amongst others who don’t do anything. Christ calls for people to stand out by doing the right thing. By doing the right thing, no matter how tiny, can make a huge difference for those around us.

By giving a dollar to a homeless man, that dollar can prolong that man's life by a day. By doing even more than that, almost any kind of help can prolong the life of someone in need. Offering a can of food, money, a blanket, a coat, or maybe even a haircut, is a large thing to give to someone without much. By seeing what the homeless go through in about an hour - that they need a place to sleep, eat, keep warm, and take care of hygiene - by helping at shelters, bringing food or offering to buy a meal for someone less fortunate, or even lending your ear to someone can make a difference. If one person does it, it’s bound to pass onto our friends, family, and soon the whole community.

Valentina Cordero

On December 3, 2015, our class experienced how it felt to be a homeless teen. In this activity, we were divided into groups of 6, and we walked around the neighborhood asking local stores and hospitals about what resources they could provide for the homeless teens that live around the intersection. This activity helped us realize how hard it is to find food to eat, something to drink, a place to stay warm, and most importantly where to sleep. We came up with a couple of answers to how homeless people live daily. It was difficult realizing the realities of their situations. This experience was eye opening as I discovered that homeless people don't have the help from others as I believed. Many people declined to help the homeless. As I experienced how to be homeless, I understood that these homeless people are being hurt and neglected by society. They are looked down on because of their appearance and are denied a helping hand. The people that are benefitting in these situations are the successful people who don’t have to worry about becoming homeless. I believe that homelessness occurs universally, but I have seen a lot of homeless people here in the United States because of the country’s ideology. In the United States society, people either succeed or fail, and often times, the successful people don’t look out for the other social classes that need help. I believe that the reason why homelessness occurs in this society is because of competition. In work and everything we do, people are forced to compete and this competition causes one person to win and the other to lose. This ideology of competition and trying to have it all is what causes the situation where people are pushed to the edge and become homeless.

Through analyzing my experience from the economic viewpoint, the successful people and small business are the ones who own and have the money. The people that are dependent from the resources that they could provide for them are the homeless people. They depend on the successful people walking down the street and on the small business that could provide for them food, water, and a warm place to stay. In the political part of a homeless person’s life the government decides what is to happen to them. The person that picks the deciders is the president or any high authority. The people that are excluded from this process are the people who are homeless as they are meant to obey any dictate that the government. In society, the person who is left out is the homeless person. The people that are included in society are only those who succeed and don’t depend on others. The relationship that is involved is very distant because homeless people are looked down by other social classes.

Everything from the past helps you become either successful or unsuccessful. Based on previous acts one is able to build a future. Yes, I believe that there is a cycle/structure hanging over the situation; if homeless people have failed in the past, it is much more harder for them to get up and keep trying to build a future. The beliefs, values, and influences of the community affect the behavior and decision of other people in deciding whether or not they want to give a helping hand to those who need it. This affects the homeless people’s life everyday, because based on many factors a person could decide to help these people out or not. The beliefs, values and influences of the communities affect one’s actions toward the rest of the people.

The Bible story that reminds me of this situation is when Jesus sat down with the disciples for the Last Supper. This reminds me of this situation because this teaches us that people should help in any way they can. Jesus serves as a positive example on how to treat everyone like brothers and sisters. I believe that the Catholic Social Teaching theme that is relevant in this situation is the one that calls for family, participation, and community. That calls humans to participate communally with all people.

I feel very upset on the way society treats the homeless. I have never been in a similar position, but I have always helped others who have not been economically stable. I do feel implicated in marginalizing these people because I have not provided them with help when I have passed by them in the streets. I do identify with marginalized people in this country as there are situations where people discriminate based on my race and ethnicity. I do feel called to respond in faith by helping those I can. Christ would expect me to act generously toward those in need. I believe more people should become aware of the realities of a homeless person’s life in order to respond and help.

I believe that the way to bridge the gap between social reality and what we hope for is to stop being sorry and start acting by helping. We can make a difference to a person’s life. I believe we can reasonably attempt to do this by working with our communities by becoming educated and then going to provide homeless people with essential resources like food, water, blankets, etc. Everyone who wants to help with this can be involved. I believe St. Benedict Parish can advocate for the marginalized with us.

Note: Minor grammar/style edits have been made to each post not affecting the content or perspective of these students.

Welcome to the SoJuVo Blog!

This is the class blog for St. Benedict Preparatory School's senior theology class, Social Justice & Vocations ("SoJuVo").

About once a week, all the students in this class go off campus to do some experiential learning and/or solidarity-based service. In order to help students process what they've experienced and move toward a greater and deeper faith that does justice, students must write a "Processing Process" reflection. In 300 words or more, students must undertake the following process to help them sort through their experience and integrate it with our coursework, which is rooted in Catholic Social Justice and the ways God calls us to live out our baptismal and personal vocations:

1. Step One: See - inventory the things you experienced

a. who is involved? who is being hurt or neglected? who is benefiting?
b. where is this happening? is it unique to a particular place or more universal?
c. are there any obvious or apparent reasons why this is happening?

2. Step Two: Analyze - examine your experience from many angles

a. Economic: who owns? who has the money? who is dependent?
b. Political: who decides? who picks the deciders? who’s included/excluded in this process?
c. Social: who is left out? who is included? what relationships are involved?
d. History: how does the past affect the present? is there a cycle or structure hanging over the situation?
e. Cultural: how do the beliefs, values, and/or influences of the community affect behavior and decisions?

3. Step Three: Reflect - incorporate Scripture and Tradition

a. Scripture: what Bible stories remind you of this situation? what Bible stories could provide insight, lessons, or counterexamples? are there any people in the Bible with similar stories? with similar characteristics?
b. Tradition: what theme(s) of CST are relevant here? how do they call us to respond?

4. Step Four: Synthesize - connect your faith, your life experience, and your emotional reactions

a. How do you feel about this?
b. Have you ever been in a similar position?
c. Do you feel implicated in marginalizing these people? do you identify with the marginalized people?
d. Do you feel called to respond in faith? would Christ expect you to act?
e. What do you think should be happening to respond?

5. Step Five: Act

a. How might we bridge the gap between the social reality and what we hope for?
b. What can we reasonably attempt to do?
c. Who can help/be involved with us? who can advocate for the marginalized with us?

Each week, I will post a few of exemplary reflections from our students to share their thoughts on our service experiences. I will head the posts with a short description of what our field trip entailed and leave the rest to them. Enjoy!