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Catholic High School

En Christe

Why En Christe? 

Catholic High School follows Christ’s call in Matthew 25 to serve the poorest of poor in our community. As Christians, we have an opportunity to bring the love of Christ to the suffering members of our community by giving of our time and talents. Students are required to complete twenty En Christe Service hours each school year.

 

What are En Christe Service Hours? 

The appropriate guide for En Christe service hours are acts that fall under the Corporal Works of Mercy (rooted in Matthew 25). The Corporal works of Mercy are: feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; clothe the naked; shelter the homeless; visit the sick; visit the imprisoned; and bury the dead. In short, we are called to serve face to face those in our community  who are suffering mentally, physically, and spiritually.                                                                                       
In order to clearly outline the guidelines, En Christe hours have been organized below into 7 types of locations where hours can be served. En Christe hours can only be served at these types of locations and within the parameters listed below. In addition, we have included approved local options to earn En Christe service hours. If you would like to suggest another location for school approval that meets the criteria, you may submit information about that organization to the CHS Campus Minister or Director of Student Life. Furthermore, listed below are the two acceptable modes of serving En Christe hours, with a description and example of each.

 

How do I practically serve En Christe hours?

  • Gold Standard
    • The goal for En Christe hours is to provide hands-on service to the suffering members of our community. Students are asked to give of their time and talents in face to face and personal encounters. 
    • Example: A student helps at a food pantry and physically hands the food to the person receiving the aid. 
  • One-Step Removed
    • Students may go in person to physically serve organizations that provide aid to the suffering members of our community. While they may not interact directly with the people receiving aid, they are still giving of their time and talent while being physically present to an organization that does so. The idea is that they aid the people who will have direct contact with the members of our community receiving the aid.
    • Example: A student helps at a food pantry by organizing donations. 

 

Where can I serve En Christe hours?

Here is a list of the 7 types of location where En Christe may be served as well as the parameters associated with each location.

1. Your local church (Only the areas listed below are approved hours that fall under the requirements of En Christe.)

  • Food pantry
  • Homeless Ministry
  • Hospital/Nursing Home Ministry
  • Ministry to the Sick and Homebound
  • Ministry to the Physically or Mentally Disabled

2. Your neighborhood (must be person[s] outside of your home/immediate family)

  • Helping an elderly, sick, or disabled neighbor with household chores (yardwork, cleaning, etc. without monetary compensation)

3. Nursing Homes  (hours must be spent working with patients or in support of the medical staff)(examples below)

  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help https://www.ourladyperpetualhelp.com/volunteer/ 
  • Marian Manor https://www.marian-manor.com/connections/volunteer/ 

4. Hospitals/Hospice Care Centers (hours must be spent volunteering with patients or in support of the medical staff) 

  • CHKD (https://www.chkd.org/support-us/volunteer/junior-volunteers/) In person program only
  • Sentara

5. Disability/Rehab Centers and Events (hours must be spent in interaction with those receiving aid and/or helping with operations on site)

  • EquiKids
  • Ability Center
  • Special Olympics
  • St. Mary’s Home (https://saintmaryshome.org/donate/volunteer/)
  • Willing Warriors (https://www.willingwarriors.org/volunteer-opportunities) 
  • Champions League Baseball 
  • Disabled American Veterans https://www.dav.org/get-involved/volunteer/ 

6. Homeless Shelters and Food Pantries (hours must be spent in food distribution, interaction with those receiving aid, and/or helping with operations on site)

  • Meals on Wheels
  • Judeo Christian Outreach Center
  • Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore (https://foodbankonline.org/how-to-help/donate-time/volunteer/) 
  • The Union Mission Ministries (http://www.unionmissionministries.org/get-involved/volunteer/) 
  • Manna Ministry of Tidewater (https://www.mannaministrytidewater.org/volunteer)
  • Agape Food Pantry

7. Low-Income Family Support

  • Connect with a Wish
  • Tutoring at a Title 1 school (i.e. Birdneck Elementary, Betty F. Williams)
  • Horizons Program

 

When are En Christe hours due?

For the 23-24 school year, ten (10) En Christe hours must be completed by Friday, January 5th, 2024. These hours will be counted as a quiz grade in the first semester of the student’s Theology class. All twenty (20) hours must be completed by Friday, April 26th, 2024. This will count towards an additional Theology quiz grade for the second semester.                                  
Hours for the 23-24 school year can be earned as early as May 1st, 2023. Students are highly encouraged to compete all hours over the summer months before the start of the school year.                                                                                                   
If a student does not complete his/her hours by Friday, April 26th, he/she will receive the appropriate quiz grade and must still complete the missing hours before being able to return to CHS for the next school year.

 

What are not En Christe hours?

Below is a list of commonly asked questions about scenarios or volunteer hours that are NOT considered En Christe. If you volunteer at any point, please still log those hours in Mobile Serve as they will count towards diocesan service awards. Anything not considered EnChriste (or NHS) would be logged under “General”.  

  • Assisting with or supporting events/organizations that do not directly encounter the suffering members of our community (fundraising events, community clean up, giving donations of any kind [handcrafted or bought], aquarium, pet shelter, etc.)
  • Assisting with school events (CHS Day, CHS athletic/academic camps, etc.)
  • Helping with family and/or household members
  • Church ministries not listed above (Vacation Bible School or Church retreats/camps, altar serving, lectoring, or cantoring at Mass)