Catholic social teaching emphasizes the words and example of Jesus Christ. As Catholic Christians, Catholic school educators have the responsibility of teaching and witnessing to the life choices our Savior espoused. Catholic school educators seek to follow Jesus and build a Catholic Christian community. It is not enough to teach the principles of our faith. We must model those principles and provide opportunities for our students to put them into practice in ways that both serve and support Catholic social teaching as well as the Commandments and the gospel. Service programs are one way that we can witness to our Catholic faith and serve the larger community in addition to our school community.
Students learn that we are responsible for each other. Religion classes offer a primary place for service learning and the practice of Catholic Christian service. Service requirements and service program experiences lay the groundwork for a well-lived Catholic Christian commitment to our neighbors, who are literally all the people in the world. We cannot serve everyone, but we can serve some people, and our faith calls us to do so.
Programs can involve both on- and off-campus experiences. First graders can help kindergarten children on the playground and, in some instances, in the classroom. There should be opportunities for every student to offer service. The student who struggles with math may be an excellent reader. The important focus is to find meaningful service for all students, whether that service takes place inside or outside the classroom. Service should not be contrived, busy work to meet a goal, but rather actions that help other individuals.
The Ten Commandments offer a blueprint for a good life. The gospel offers Jesus’ teaching exhorting us to care for each other and to be good neighbors. Scripture offers an answer to Cain’s question of God when He asked Cain where his brother was, and Cain responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” As Catholic Christians, we accept responsibility for our brothers and sisters. In a very real sense, we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. This responsibility is not for adult Catholics only, but for all Christians regardless of age. As Catholic school and religious education teachers and youth ministers, we have an obligation to model Catholic Christian service and to provide programs and activities that foster care for one’s brothers and sisters in Christ.
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. We should do the same, whether actually or figuratively. As administrators, teachers, youth ministers, and catechists, we should be the face of Christ for our students. We should not expect those we teach to be their sister’s keeper if we, the adult teachers and ministers, do not model such behavior.
The following is a list of dos and don’ts for administrators, teachers, catechists, and other ministers.
Be the person you want your students to be. Demonstrate the qualities you hope they will develop and display. If a student drops a pencil and the teacher, catechist, or coach can easily pick it up, do so. In this way, you will set a good example.
Before assigning a task to a student, analyze potential risks and ways of dealing with the risks. The end does not always justify the means.
Do not ask a student to do something dangerous.
Do not ask a student or colleague to do something that you would not be willing to do. Of course, a teacher may not be physically able to crawl under a desk to retrieve a lost item, but a teacher or other supervising adult should not expect a young person to perform an action that he or she would not be willing to do if able to do so.
Before assigning projects to students, ask for their ideas on ways in which they can be helpful to others, which can include both adults and students.
Assess any potential risks involved in a project under consideration. If you have any doubts about the appropriateness and/ or safety of a given activity, seek the counsel of colleagues and the principal. It is important to consult with your immediate supervisor before suggesting or accepting a service activity.
Consider utilizing parent permission slips for all service projects, but especially those that occur outside the school day and/or are off school or parish property.
Have a written agreement with the leaders of off-campus sites where your students will provide service. This agreement should be either written by or approved by the school or diocesan legal counsel. Diocesan and archdiocesan superintendents should consider a permission slip that can be utilized for all service projects.
Each student must have a parentor guardian-signed written permission slip for each service activity, in which the parent both requests and permits his or her child’s participation. The form must state exactly where the service will take place and of what it will consist. Forms that say something such as, “I request and give permission for my child to participate in the school’s service program and to travel off campus to the site,” are not comprehensive enough. The more details that are given, such as dates and times of service, the type of transportation that will be provided, or a statement that the parent agrees to provide the transportation, strengthen the permission slip.
While not a guarantee of immunity, the form should state, “In consideration for my child’s participation in the program, I hereby release and save harmless the school/parish from any and all liability for any and all injury that my child may incur.”
Although not legally binding for minors, since the student is the one participating in the service activity or program, consider having the student sign a form such as the following:
This form can be adapted and written in more age-appropriate language for younger children.
If there are certain risks about which parents should be informed, these should be clearly stated. For example, “This trip will involve walking through underground caves, and I/we agree to discuss appropriate behavior and safety issues with my/our child.” Parents should sign the permission slip. In the case of divorced or separated or never-married parents who share custody, depending on the custody arrangement, the school administration should consider giving each parent a form to sign.
Service programs can be a very important part of a student’s education and faith formation. The above is intended to provide thoughts for discussion and suggestions for implementing and sustaining service programs.
Service programs are one way of witnessing to our faith. Having legally sound permission slips is a way of ensuring both parental buy-in to the experience and some legal protection for the school or parish.
Sister Mary Angela Shaughnessy, SCN, JD, Ph.D.is a Sister of Charity of Nazareth and a nationally recognized expert on the law as it affects Catholic schools and Church ministry.Angie.Shaughnessy@lmu.edu