Catholic schools plan lessons
in Christ's charity

Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published Friday, January 27, 2006

Monroe — It was an early afternoon in December when fourth—and fifth graders from St. Michael the Archangel Elementary were walking across their school parking lot. They had just sung Christmas carols for and visited with the residents at Marian Place, the senior center next door, and were returning to class.

Fourth-grade student Mason concentrates on his singing.

One of the youngsters spoke up to fifth—grade teacher Rosemary Tippin.

"We just made their lives a little brighter, Mrs. Tippin," the student said. "Isn't that nice?"

Mrs. Tippin said yes – that's what Christian service is all about.

Making monthly trips to the senior center is just one of the Christian service initiatives St. Michael the Archangel Elementary performs as part of its curriculum. And St. Michael the Archangel is just one of more than 100 elementary-level schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit that makes Christian service a part of what they teach.

The concept is an important one for Catholic schools – thousands of children learning to make the lives of others a little bit brighter.

"One of our goals is that you know faith by works," said St. Michael principal Karen Pilon. "Faith without works — it's a scary thing. One of our hopes is that our students know that (faith) is not just about an internal relationship…. If you have that relationship with God and the Church, then you're going to put yourself back out there."

Throughout the year, elementary schools across the Archdiocese of Detroit take on many service initiatives that connect them with the broader community. Detroit-area Catholic schools take part in walkathons, raise awareness for poverty and disease victims and even are taught the value of standing by one another through difficult personal times. Students also often respond to disasters, such as hurricanes or floods, by writing letters and collecting donations for those who were affected.

Fourth-and fifth-graders from St. Michael the Archangel Elementary in Monroe sing Christmas carols to residents of Marian Place, the neighboring senior center. Each month, students at the school spend time with the seniors.

For example, during Catholic Schools Week students at All Saints School in Canton Township wanted to do something to help the All Saints Soup Kitchen in Detroit – which, as they heard about in the news, was ravaged by a fire on the evening of Christmas Day.

"We're going to do a special community service project to collect money and beans, from All Saints School to All Saints Soup Kitchen," said All Saints principal Jacqueline Brown. "The idea came from the kids, which is just really special."

At St. Michael the Archangel, the curriculum for Christian service is centered on the corporal works of mercy, taken from Christ's teaching in the Gospels:

• feed the hungry,
• give drink to the thirsty,
• clothe the naked,
• shelter the homeless,
• visit the sick,
• ransom the captive,
• bury the dead.

Throughout their years at the school, students touch on each area of mercy, taking part in clothing drives, writing cards to prisoners, visiting seniors and those who are ill, and even helping clean up cemeteries.

Fifth-grader Adam, after singing Christmas carols to the seniors, said it was important to do because God encouraged them to love others.

"They don't really get out much to see people, so it was nice for us to go over there and tell about the birth of Jesus and some songs," Adam said. "It's like how Jesus said to help people, without stopping loving them."

His classmate, Sabrina, agreed that cheering up others is something Jesus would have done Himself.

"Jesus basically wants you to do the same thing," Sabrina said. "And you get a good feeling when you do it."

Their teacher, Tippin, said the arrangement is great for both the residents of Marian Place and the children.

"The children get just as much out of it as the residents who are over there," she said.

Many of the residents themselves wore broad smiles and held onto stuffed animals the children had given to them as they listened to the students sing for nearly a half-hour.

"It's wonderful," said Marian Place resident Helen Albxin. "It just brings some life to the place. It's great. They're so happy about coming. They seem to love to come, and we love the children. It's very nice. It breaks the monotony."

The visits – which take place typically on a holiday each month, and involve different grades at the school – bring back memories for Josephine Banek.

"I love to hear the kids, because my kids did that too when they came to St. Michael's," she said.

For Dominick Landowski, having the school children come to sing Christmas carols showed that the students were learning something more valuable than just reading, writing and arithmetic. They were learning how to love.

"Oh it was nice," Landowski said. "They're good children. What does it mean to me? Great love – both ways."

After singing, fourth-grader Mark said singing isn't the only thing they learn.

"We learn Christmas carols and we learn always to help people who are needy," Mark said.

A fellow fourth-grader, Annemarie, said there was a lot more to do to be like Jesus was. And the idea of learning how to love both makes people happy, and brings them closer to the Lord.

"We learn to give money to the poor, and give food to them," Annemarie said. "It can make people feel happy and sometimes, like when we die, we might go to heaven."