Campus Ministry & Christian Outreach
Service
At the very core of Gabriel Richard Catholic High School's existence is its Catholic Christian identity. Our school is rooted in Christ and his mission of compassionate love and service to others.
Gabriel Richard Catholic High strives to live this Christian call and over the years has provided numerous service outreach opportunities for our students. We now formalize our commitment to Christian service by asking our students to engage in service each school year, beginning with second semester freshman year.
We recognize that Christian service has two aspects: charity, which attends to immediate needs, such as providing food or shelter; and justice, which attempts to repair underlying causes of the problem, such as writing to legislature to enact laws that bring a more just situation into being.
Requirements
A minimum of twelve hours of service per school year is required for graduation, beginning with second semester freshman year. (Realizing that freshmen might need time to adjust to high school and its academic and social challenges, service is not required first semester, freshman year, therefore, only six service hours are required freshman year.)
Service hours are to be turned in using the Outreach Verification form provided by the Campus Ministry Department.
Students may choose service projects offered through Gabriel Richard's Service Coordinator or make their own arrangements for service with the assistance of their parents, church, youth group, or local service organizations.
At least twenty hours (of the total 42 required hours) must be direct service to the needy or working for justice.
Summer service will be counted toward the next school year's hours.
The Campus Minister will meet with all students at the beginning of each semester to help students plan their service projects.
SAMPLING OF SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED THROUGH CAMPUS MINISTRY. A FULL LIST MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE CAMPUS MINISTRY DEPARTMENT
CHARITABLE OPPORTUNITIES:
- ADOPT-A-GRANDPARENT Students choose a resident "grandparent" at Rivergate Convalescent Center whom they visit weekly.
- CIRCLE OF SERVICE Students assist elderly with yard or household chores.
- SNOW ANGELS Students assist elderly in their neighborhood with snow shoveling.
- MAPLEGROVE CHILDREN'S DAY CAMP Students work with children whose lives have been impacted by chemical dependency, mental illness or family stresses.
- ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS PARTY Students assist at St. Elizabeth's Christmas party for youth whose parents are incarcerated.
- VIP SOCCER Students buddy up with challenged youth who learn to play soccer.
- RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Students teach or assist in religious education classes in nearby parishes.
- OUTREACH TO THE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY CHALLENGED Students interact with the challenged adults through Downriver ARC's program of bowling, basketball, swimming and dances.
- SOUP KITCHEN Students serve meals to the hungry at soup kitchens in the community.
- CARE Through lunch-hour bake sales, students raise funds to provide support to our local soup kitchens and food pantries.
- CROP WALK Students participate in the annual Downriver CROP Walk to raise funds to help alleviate hunger at home and promote development overseas.
- BETHANY MISSION IN APPALACHIA Students spend a week at Bethany Mission in Pennsylvania, living simply, sharing in prayer and community, and reaching out to the elderly or those in economic need.
- RELAY FOR LIFE Students participate in the annual Riverview Relay for Life to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and show support for those whose lives have been touched by cancer.
- EARTH'S FRIENDS Students help earth by recycling paper.
JUSTICE OPPORTUNITIES:
- AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Students write letters monthly on behalf of prisoners of conscience throughout the world.
- FREEDOM HOUSE Students spend a day at Freedom House, a refugee shelter in Detroit, where they share with people fleeing persecution and seeking asylum.
- Hunger Awareness Week, held during Lent. Activities throughout the week are aimed at raising awareness of hunger at a global and local level. Funds raised through CARE and Pizza sales this week are used to provide support to a local soup kitchen or food pantry.
- Mission Week, held during the week leading up to Mission Sunday in October. Activities and/or presentations this week are aimed at raising awareness of Missions throughout the world and our own call to be missionaries. Funds raised through CARE and Pizza sales this week are used to provide support to our sister village in El Salvador.
- Camp Crosstown, sponsored by Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, brings teens of various ethnic racial, religious and socio-economic backgrounds together for a week in the summer. They share the richness of their diverse backgrounds, develop leadership and communication skills needed for building true community in our diverse world. Gabriel Richard students are encouraged to attend.
- Project Diversity offers our students an opportunity to meet and share with students of various cultures and faiths through Diversity Club activities and through joint outreach opportunities with Muslim, Jewish, and other teens.
