PAINT PARTY A group of volunteers from St. Michael Parish in Netcong are ready to paint during a week of service with Catholic Heart Workcamp in Hartford, Conn., July 10-16.
NETCONG Call them teens with heart as 50 young people and their chaperones traveled to Hartford, Conn. to volunteer for a week of service with Catholic Heart Workcamp from July 10 to 16.
For more than 10 years, the youth group at St. Michael Parish here has been traveling to states such as West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and making a difference to help those in need. This is the first time St. Michael’s got involved with the mission of Catholic Heart Workcamp. Also traveling with them were six young people from neighboring St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Flanders.
The mission of Catholic Heart Workcamp is “to share the love of Christ as we serve the neglected, brokenhearted and the marginalized in any way needed. Equally, to inspire participants to live as disciples of Christ through serving others as a way of life; and to foster the Catholic Faith of each participant through the sacraments, prayer and involvement in social service” according to its website.
Deacon Stu Murphy of St. Michael’s led the group of campers, saying, “It was a wonderful experience for everyone particularly our teens. We all took away a lot from this energizing experience that allowed us to actively practice our faith and share our talents and skills to people in need.”
During the weeklong mission trip, some of the young people performed a variety of projects such as building decks, doing yard work and cleaning and maintaining homes for individuals with illnesses and disabilities. Volunteers also helped organizations, such as the Hartford Diocese’s Catholic Charities, local inner-city churches and an organic farm, which produces food for local food pantries.
Each morning before heading to the worksites and in the evening after all-day volunteering, the young people came together with 300 teens and adults from several states on the East Coast for fellowship at Northwest Catholic High School in Hartford. During the week, the teens slept in classrooms and ate simple meals. Each day, the volunteers participated in daily Mass and had the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They also enjoyed many social activities and on the last day of the week of service, they were able to visit local tourist spots.
During Year of Mercy, Deacon Murphy said, “We were reminded constantly about mercy since we were actively engaged in the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Every year for Catholic Heart Workcamp is the ‘Year of Mercy’ for them.”
What made this trip a success, Deacon Murphy believes was the support of the parishioners of St. Michael’s and the parents. He said, “While we were the visible hands providing the service, it because of the tremendous spiritual and financial support from our parish family and the love and devotion of so many parents. The entire parish was participating in the many Corporal and Spiritual works of Mercy offered during our Mission Week.”
The youth ministry of St. Michael’s will continue to travel to other areas in need in the United States and are already planning next year’s trip. They will begin fund-raising and putting out the word for any teens who might be interested in this life-changing experience.
Deacon Murphy said, “We get more out of it than those we serve. We helped out one woman, who was a single mother that had multiple sclerosis and confined to a wheelchair. We helped build her deck that leads to her backyard and she thanked us because she was so excited that she would be able to go outside and see her children play.”