Mercy in Motion

SPARTA  As Catholics mark the season of Lent with sacrifices, fasting and giving up something, youths at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish here are making Lent a time to do more instead of less. The parish’s youth ministry program decided to use the Corporal Works of Mercy as a stepping off place for its Lenten Service program and offered various service opportunities for students in middle school and high school.

Phyllis Phillips, youth minister at St. Kateri Tekakwitha, along with college student Elle Hartranft collaborated to have the teens reach out to others in a program titled “Mercy in Motion.” The title comes from the U.S. Bishop’s website on their page about the Corporal Works of Mercy. Before the youths dove into the service projects, Hartranft gave them a short overview of the Corporal Works of Mercy and connected them to what the teens would be doing during the 40 days of Lent.

“I think it’s important to give young people a taste of serving others. Once they’ve experienced the joy that comes with that kind of giving it often inspires them to do more,” said Phillips. “Since Lent is a traditional time for almsgiving and teenagers don’t have the financial means, we decided to give of ourselves instead of giving money.”

On the first week of Lent, teenagers created Easter baskets for children whose families are served by the Sussex County Ecumenical Food Pantry. The teens brought candy and small toys and filled Easter baskets with grass and then wrapped them up in cellphone.

Luca Budofsky, a seventh-grader, participated in the Easter basket project and she said, “It felt good to help children who are fed by the food pantry. It was fun to put the baskets together for the kids by selecting toys and candy for each basket to make their Easter special. Participating in this event showed me that there are children in my area that are less fortunate than me. Lent is a time to think about our lives and how to be a better person. Jesus teachers us to help others and we are reminded to do this during Lent.”

During the second week of Lent, the young people were invited to make colorful pillowcases for children hospitalized with serious illnesses. In the upcoming weeks, the teens will support and cheer developmentally and physically disabled adults and teens at a local bowling alley; will spend time with children following the Spanish Mass at their parish creating arts and crafts, and will make prayer cards for families of the parish who have lost loved ones in the past year.

The highlight of the service event will be during Holy Week. The teens will participate in a dramatic reading of the Stations of the Cross for Good Friday. “It’s something the teens of the parish do every year — sort of their gift to the community. That’s why we decided to end with that — giving back and serving our own community,” Phillips said.

With many teens today having busy schedules filled with school, homework and extracurricular activities, such as sports and clubs, Phillips said she took a leap of faith and did not ask for sign ups for these events. “I was afraid some wouldn’t sign up, worrying about homework and sports. This way it can be a last-minute decision to come out and help,” she said. Phillips usually coordinates events for the high school students. She decided to invite the middle school students because they were “ready to serve others and eager to offer their time.”

So far, a good number of teens from the parish have decided to take time to give back to serve others. Paul McFadden, a ninth-grader, said, “It makes me feel better to know that not only I, but also some others, helped on a weeknight during our crazy school schedule to help kids that really need joy during this time of year. There are so many kids from our area that I really didn’t expect would be homeless or close to being homeless. When I think of being homelessness, I think of being on a city street, not right in my backyard.”

As the weeks of Lent continue, the teens will continue to reflect on the Corporal Works of Mercy through these projects. Julia Young, who is participating with her sister, Rachel, said, “Lent is a time in which you prepare for Easter by reflecting on these 40 days Jesus spent in the desert resisting the devil. One of the ways you can reflect is by giving. Service projects are not only a way to give back to your community but they also open your eyes to the problems in society. They expose you to the issues that many people have to deal with and spread awareness.”