News Post
Students Spend Week in Service in New Jersey
Nine St. Joseph’s Academy students traveled to Camden, New Jersey, for a week of service, June 15-21. The experience was hosted by Romero Center Ministries, formerly a Franciscan convent now owned and run by St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral Parish. The urban retreat center grounds people in Jesus’ call to serve the poor.
Trip chaperones were Campus Minister Chelsea Colomb and faculty member Ghedy Matus.
The week began with a visit to Chestnut Hill College, founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The students then participated in the Urban Challenge with students from St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C., and the Prout School in Rhode Island. The Urban Challenge invites participants to look at the issues plaguing Camden, a once thriving city which was devastated by the decline of the manufacturing industry, through the lens of faith.
“We prayed and served alongside each other during the week as we grew in relationship with each other, with God and learned more about the principles of Catholic Social Teaching,” Colomb said.
Among the highlights of the trip was serving at the SSJ Neighborhood Center. Among the Sisters’ ministries managed from the center include diaper and clothing distribution and a food pantry. Monthly food distribution provides meat, bread, fruits, vegetables and non-perishable items free of charge to those facing food insecurity.
Rising senior Louisa deBlieux said her second year of serving those in need in New Jersey was meaningful. She especially enjoyed the time spent at the STARS Adult Medical Day Care Center, the primary provider of adult day care services in Camden. “I love talking and listening to different stories, and the people at the center were so happy to have our company,” she said. “I love knowing that our presence makes a difference. Seeing Miss Delly, a woman I first met last year, truly made me grateful for God and His presence. Every ‘thank you’ told to our group after a day of work warmed my heart and made me see God in the work we were completing.”
The travelers also visited the Neighborhood Collaborative Community Gardens, initially begun by a family to clean up abandoned lots in their neighborhood. They soon incorporated their love of gardening to plant flowers and fresh vegetables, and today, family members care for nearly 30 gardens throughout the community.
“I hope the girls recognize they each have unique gifts, just as those leading the ministries we served alongside, and that they are called to use those gifts,” Colomb said. “With these gifts and a small amount of time, we can make a significant impact on those most in need.”