CONVENT STATION Double the fleece, double the warmth.
Emma Potian, a seventh-grader at Assumption School in Morristown, used that rule of thumb when putting together blankets for the homeless on Sept. 27 with 150 area Catholic school students. It was part of a service day in Convent Station sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth. Potian tied two large pieces of fleece back to back to make a thicker, warmer blanket to prepare the homeless for the coming winter.
On a warm Tuesday, it was hoped that Potian and her fellow Catholic elementary and high-school students also were preparing for a lifetime of service to others — the aim of this first-ever event for this religious community. The sisters celebrated the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul, their patron, and model for service, by hosting the day filled with prayer, education, solidarity, and service projects to benefit the poor and homeless.
“It was really fun making things for people, who are less fortunate and interacting with people from other schools,” said Potian, who attended with 17 other Assumption seventh- and eighth-graders who are student ambassadors.
The Assumption students joined other schools from around northern New Jersey served by the sisters, including others from the Diocese of Paterson, including the Academy of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station; St. Vincent Martyr School, Madison; DePaul Catholic High School, Wayne; and St. Elizabeth University, Convent Station. Groups of students rotated through several service-project stations set up around the Sisters’ property in Convent Station, including in their motherhouse, St. Elizabeth University, and the Academy of St. Elizabeth, said Sister Maryanne Tracey, co-director of the Sisters of Charity Office of Vocation and Mission Engagement and co-coordinator of the event.
“It was a wonderful and enriching day,” said Sister Maryanne, who put together the day, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Shannon Hoffman, co-director of the office. Helping out were Sisters, Seton Associates, and Sisters of Charity staff. “It was important for the elementary and high-school students to have an opportunity to give back to others,” she said.
In another project, students made sandwiches and reusable bags from T-shirts and filled small backpacks with personal products, winter hats, and gloves — all for the homeless. They also wrote notes of encouragement to the poor and homeless, letters on social-justice issues to public figures, and cards to elderly sisters in nursing homes, Sister Maryanne said.
That day, participants donated food for the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson, a part of diocesan Catholic Charities. School supplies were also donated to be distributed by Catholic Charities, Sister Maryanne said.
“We are so grateful for the donated food and school supplies. The needs of the poor are greater than ever,” said Sister Maureen Sullivan, director of Ministry Services and Volunteers at Catholic Family and Community Services, a part of diocesan Catholic Charities. “The students were so enthusiastic, making things for other people and working together with students from other schools,” she said.
At each station, students also learned about St. Vincent and the need to serve and were asked how they felt about the service they were performing. In 1617 in France, St. Vincent dedicated his life to serving poor and marginalized people there, Sister Maryanne said.
The day started with students and volunteers filling Holy Family Chapel on campus for a prayer service. The sisters were inspired to plan the large event by the Vincentian Family Office, which promotes the ministry and work of St. Vincent. The organization suggested that Vincentian groups across the United States hold such events under the theme “Compassionate Hearts — Generous Hands,” Sister Maryanne said.
“I liked the prayer service and filling the bags for other people. I want to do more service in the future,” said Logan Sodono, an Assumption seventh-grader.
After the event, Sister Merris Larkin, Assumption principal, told The Beacon, “It was a meaningful day.
“The students had fun and learned about serving others,” said Sister Merris. She noted that Assumption carries out service projects, such as drives for food, pajamas, mittens, and socks for the poor and homeless, and Christmas presents for needy children in other countries. “Our students have so much. On the service day, they made simple things for people with nothing. It resonated with them,” the principal said.