Students participate in Jesuit Day of Service
By Julie Hullett
John Carroll’s annual community service event, Jesuit Day of Service, is approaching on Saturday, April 28. On this day, JCU partners with 10 NorthEast Ohio Jesuit institutions to serve Cleveland neighborhood organizations.
The Jesuit Day of Service is a way of connecting, collaborating and celebrating the shared mission of Jesuit institutions. The purpose of this day includes five core themes. It fosters awareness and solidarity of Cleveland’s network of Jesuit institutions. A few of the institutions that participate are Gesu Parish, Ignatian Solidarity Network and Jesuit Volunteer Corps. This day also highlights the impact of a shared mission toward serving others and celebrates serving the community. Furthermore, the Jesuit Day of Service exemplifies a greater purpose.
John Tucci, a member of the leadership team for planning this annual event, explains the importance of students engaging in service with their school and serving their community.
“One of the biggest things that we can do as a school is to show that we are men and women for and with others,” said Tucci. “It’s who we are.”
Much of the work included in the Jesuit Day of Service is manual labor, including mulching, cleaning attics and washing vans and bikes.
This event grew from an annual service day at JCU called Cultivating Community Day which started in 2004 after Peggy Finucane taught a class on the economic, political, historical and religious complexities of urban neighborhoods in Cleveland. In 2011, JCU partnered with St. Ignatius to recognize their joint 125th anniversaries. By 2012, the name was changed to the Jesuit Day of Service. The event is inspired by Saint Ignatius of Loyola to this day.
The Jesuit Day of service is open to all current students, faculty, staff and alumni. The event takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28. Registration is open on jcu.edu/service until April 15. Questions may be directed to jesuitdos@jcu.edu.
