Christian Service

CHRISTIAN SERVICE
St. Augustine High School

Saintsmen are Christian Gentlemen who have experienced Christian service and have acquired skills to continue service, and understand peace and justice issues and are aware of the importance of compassion for others. Saintsmen are also young men prepared to participate in a changing world who contribute in positive ways as members of their civic communities, serve the common good and have interpersonal skills for achieving it, have been exposed to other cultures through multi-cultural experiences, and realize that service to the community is an on-going responsibility.

We, as a Christian community are all called to be servants of those in need. With this in mind, Campus Ministry strives to make these opportunities available and act as a guide to understanding and meeting needs of our community. Each grade level participates in a service theme relating to a community in need, to be carried throughout that year.

Guidelines for 2007-2008 Christian Service

1. ALL Christian Service is due in Campus Ministry on May 2, 2008. Each student will be responsible for a reflection paper to be administered by all religion teachers. Please plan your time accordingly as there will be NO exceptions to this deadline. Students can begin doing service hours for the 2007-2008 school year as soon as this school year is over on June 6, 2007.

2. All Christian Service MUST be filled out on the non-profit agency's official letterhead. Please note that this requirment is different from last year.NO OTHER CHRISTIAN SERVICE PEPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Freshmen will have sheets available to them in the Campus Ministry office to be signed by Saints faculty and staff.

3. Parents may not sign off as the Supervisor for their son’s Christian Service hours.

4. Students must be working at an official Non-Profit or Charity agency. Saintsmen may NOT do their volunteer work at a private residence or business.

5. Liturgical Ministries (Ushering, Lectoring, Altar Serving, Eucharistic Ministers) do not count for Christian Service. These important ministries are what young Catholics, by virtue of their baptism, should be doing in their parishes.

6. The timely completion of Christian Service is a graduation requirement for St. Augustine High School. Any Saintsman who fails to complete his Christian Service will NOT be allowed to attend any end of the year functions including Prom and Grad Night, they will be required to make up all hours and their class standing may be in jeopardy.

After the students perform their meaningful work, each underclassman is required to write an essay reflecting on their term of volunteer service. The paper must be two-pages in length. An outline for the paper will be handed out in religion classes at a later date. The reflection paper and completed hours will be counted as a percentage of the religion grade for the second semester.
We hope that SAINTSMEN go above and beyond the call for service through “requirements” and actually participate in service out of a desire to do good for others. Each year, the students, faculty, alumni and friends of St. Augustine High School contribute thousands of hours of service to different communities in San Diego, representing who we truly are as a community of believers who put faith into action.