Doing God’s work

MORRISTOWN  All across the country, youths from parishes in the Paterson Diocese are making a big impact in some of America’s poorest regions. For the past month, by bus or by plane, traveling to a rural town in Kentucky or to the outskirts of Chicago, these young people took the time during their summer vacations to give back to those in need.

During the day, some built homes while others prepared meals for the poor and during the evening hours, they came together reflecting on their day of service in prayer, talks, song and social time.

Traveling to West Virginia, 40 high school students and 15 adults from Assumption Parish in Morristown built a home for a single mother with two children. She had lost her home in a major flood that hit the rural town last summer.

Grace Lynch, 16, and her friends in Assumption’s youth group had no idea what to expect going on this mission trip. “It was pretty intense how much work we did. We didn’t know if the girls on the trip would be asked to do that much, but we were. We installed the interior walls of the house and when we saw the results we were just super proud of what we did,” she said.

A nine-hour bus ride from Morristown, Lynch was surprised to see how much of a different world West Virginia was. “It was a totally different lifestyle, the area was totally different with lots of poverty but something that connected us was sharing our faith,” she said.

Lynch also recalled that the group had no cell phone service during the experience, but she considered it the best thing that could have happened. “Not having our phones allowed us to bond and helped you realize, we don’t need them all the time.”

The whole experience in West Virginia for the Assumption youth group started with putting faith in God for a successful week. They began the first day in a circle around the area where the house was to be built with a prayer. When they completed the house some days later, they ended with a prayer in a circle around the house. This time, they were unable to see each other.

Hugh Grennan, 17, who also went on the West Virginia mission, said, “It was an awesome experience working together as a team to build a house for a family in need. Everyone in the community itself was so helpful. They were giving out water and were there with whatever we needed.”

Heading to the Chicago area to volunteer with Catholic Heart Workcamp, a national organization that offers week-long volunteer experiences across the United States, were seven youths from St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Mountain Lakes who were led by Father Jared Brogan, pastor, and Rakyung French, a young adult parishioner.

The group of seven, who are going into their sophomore and junior years of high school, were part of a larger group of 200 young people from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, California and Kentucky. They stayed at Holy Family Parish in Inverness, west of Chicago. During the mid-July week, the youths helped with home repairs, gardening and preparing meals.

In the weeks before the Mountain Lakes teens headed to Chicago, young people shared their reasons for going on the Catholic Heart Work Camp mission trip.

Sofie French said, “I want to help people who need it and make life easier for those who are less fortunate.”

Carly Castan said, “To strengthen my faith and help those who suffer, I’m looking forward to such a positive and eye-opening experience.”

In Harlan, Kentucky, young people from St. Virgil Parish in Morris Plains spent the week building homes through COAP, a non-profit organization that builds and renovates houses for low to middle-income families. For more than 20 years, St. Virgil’s Appalachia Outreach Team has been heading to Kentucky. Before they left Morris Plains, a special morning Mass was held to pray for the youth and adults heading on this mission trip.

A local TV station in Kentucky covered the trip by the Morris Plains youths. Moira Kelly, who has attended several mission trips, said, “It’s really powerful that our parish has had this great relationship with COAP over the years and that we’re able to continue being a servant of Christ for people in Appalachia.”

Throughout the Diocese, many parishes continue to head on mission trips to help those most in need. St. Vincent the Martyr Parish in Madison sent two different teams to West Virginia because so many youths volunteered to help the poor.

Grennan, who attended his second mission trip this year and wants to attend again, enjoyed the hands-on building experience that helps a family truly in need. He recommends that other young Catholics experience a mission trip: “It’s a fun experience. You spend time with your friends, help a great family in need and you’re doing God’s work.”