Social Justice is an essential aspect of the Catholic faith, which is why it is at the forefront of the Mount Carmel community.  Each year, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors step out the classroom for an entire week of service to the community to learn about and address issues of social justice.  This program is now formally known as IMPACT Week.

Last year,Mount Carmel eliminated the requirement of a set number of service hours in favor of a new approach that would have more “impact” on students’ lives, as well as on the individuals they might meet and serve.  This year, during the week of January 25, juniors travelled to 27 different schools, social service agencies, and residential facilities across Chicagoland.

Mr. Gregory Welch, campus minister, had the challenging task of organizing and overseeing this large project.  Even though it seemed “daunting,” he was enthusiastic about providing so many opportunities for the juniors to experience

“It’s the first time we have been to places such as Misericordia or several of the retirement villages we visited,” noted Welch.  In addition to several new sites, students returned to a variety of sites at which last year’s juniors served,  including Smith Village, RTW Veteran’s Center, and St. Philip Neri School.

The entire junior class was exposed to new service opportunities that offered direct engagement with residents or clients, instead of working behind the scenes, and students expressed gratitude for the opportunities they were given.  Junior Patrick Kaminski reflected fondly on the week during the day of reflection that was held at Mount Carmel on Friday. “Being able to attend Smith Village [Retirement Community] really helped me see that there were more ways to give back than just the usual food pantry or homeless shelter.”

One of the lessons for some juniors was in understanding that the power of many is greater than the power of few. As Kaminski’s classmate Jackson Lockard observed,”It was really eye opening to see the difference a large group of students could make.”

In wrapping up IMPACT Week on Friday, Welch praised everyone on their efforts. “I have received many emails and calls complimenting our students on the work they have done.  All of the  sites were very pleased.”