WAYNE When the last day of school comes, students usually enter summer vacation as a time for a relaxing break. Some head off to summer vacations with their families while others attend summer camp for some fun.
However, during the last week of June into July’s first week, 30 teen volunteers and adult chaperones took a different road to start their summer break. They participated in Catholic Heart Workcamp (CHWC) and traveled to Bridgeport, Conn. for a week of service and spirituality. These youth came from Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Parish here; Christ the King Parish in New Vernon and Corpus Christi Parish in Chatham Township. During the week, the group was joined by Father Mateusz Jasniewicz, pastor of IHM, and Father Jun Vizcara, parochial vicar at Christ the King Parish. The three parishes are part of the B.O.L.D. Youth Ministry program by Fiat Ventures.
A typical day for a CHWC volunteer includes a morning program with prayers, lively music, video presentations and witness talks. Following that, the teens head to the work sites for four to six hours to do their service projects. Then, the volunteers get some free time, with the day ending with Mass and an evening program. On the Friday of the week, the volunteers get a free day to enjoy local sites and activities.
Lisa Valentino, coordinator of youth ministry at IHM, led the young people from her parish and said, “Experiencing CHWC the teens see that they are not alone in their faith. The teens meet other teens from around country.”
The group from IHM has volunteered in CHWC in the past and this time around, they helped out at a facility run by the Daughters of the Most Precious Blood in Bridgeport. There, volunteers painted a statue of Jesus and Mary and painted one of the pre-school classrooms. The group also stenciled and painted a mural in a play area for the children who attend the school. Other work included cleaning up around and outside of the facility.
For the volunteers from Christ the King, it was a first time experience. Miranda Fitzpatrick, youth minister at CTK, came with two girls, a rising sophomore and a rising senior in high school.
“The week is packed with high-energy fun, the excitement of new friendships, beautiful moments of prayer, as well as a week of tough work serving the community around us,” said Fitzpatrick,”Each morning the teens wake up early and grab breakfast before getting ready to gather for Mass, then we break out into our teams to head to the site we are serving that day. Teams are made up of about five to eight people.”
According to Fitzpatrick, the group served at a number of residents’ homes in the Bridgeport area helping with landscaping, gardening, mulching, weeding and other projects that needed to be done to maintain a yard. They also spent one day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity where they built a fence with other volunteers in the organization.
According to CHWC, its mission is to share the love of Jesus and serve the neglected, brokenhearted and marginalized in any way needed. The Catholic Heart Work Camp mission is to revitalize communities and beautify homes for the elderly, disabled and those who cannot afford needed repairs. Their goal is to inspire participants to serve in their local communities.
In addition, CHWC’s mission is also to empower participants to live as disciples of Christ through serving others and to foster the spiritual growth of each participant through the Sacraments, Catholic faith sharing and prayer.
During the week of July 17 to 23, the Paterson Diocese will welcome volunteers from CHWC. Mary Help of Christians Academy in North Haledon will be home base for campers who will volunteer at many of the Diocese’s Catholic Charities agencies, parishes and Catholic schools. Volunteers will also serve at neighboring sites in Newark and in Elizabeth. The work sites will include homeless shelters, food pantries, low-income preschools, a friary, group homes for individuals with disabilities, senior day centers, a nursing home and a convent.
“Catholic Heart Work Camp is a week where teens can come together and make a difference in the world, and while they are doing it, they are making memories for life,” said Fitzpatrick.