St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School Mission Outreach 2017-2018
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40) We believe to know God s people is to know God. In light of that, Mission Outreach seeks to provide our students with unique service opportunities. Mission Outreach trips give students the opportunity to serve some of the most vulnerable members of society while also immersing themselves in the culture of another part of the country or world. Since the program began in 2006, Mission Outreach at St. John the Baptist has brought the Catholic teachings on Social Justice to life for hundreds of students. Through service in soup kitchens, food pantries, homes for the developmentally disabled, children s hospitals, and many other locations, SJB students have come to a better understanding of the injustices in our modern world. The primary focus of a Mission Outreach trip is to serve the needs of the community. In addition to the actual work there is an expectation that all participants will enter into the prayer and discussion that are essential components of our trips. A spirit of flexibility and willingness to engage in these other components is necessary to make these experiences successful for everyone involved. The best disposition one can have in considering a Mission Trip is How can I best serve God? As you and your family consider this very important decision, we ask that you pray together to help decide if a Mission Trip is for you. These experiences are life changing. They open up our eyes and hearts to the clear presence of God. We are
reminded of our common humanity and our enormous capacity to love. Mission Outreach is best summed up by one of our students who said, I went out to change the world and instead, the world changed me. Scholarships A limited amount of scholarship money will be available to students who choose to participate in a Mission Trip. In order to receive a scholarship, students must meet the following criteria: Currently a Junior or Senior Be able to demonstrate a history of participation in service activities (Peace and Justice, Midnight Runs, Soup Kitchens, etc.) Must be current in all tuition and school fees. No academic probation or disciplinary issues. This must be your first Mission Trip The student may not be participating in any other major school trips such as the Senior Disney Trip or tours to Europe. Scholarship Details: Limit of Scholarship is half the cost of the trip or $1000 whichever is less.
If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please type your answers to the following questions and return them to Campus Ministry by November 9, 2017 with your deposit. Your name and graduation year The trip you would like to go on What service activities have you been a part of at SJB? How have you been involved with service activities outside of SJB? Why do you want to go on this Mission Trip? Are there any pertinent situations at home that make it difficult for your family to afford this trip? Scholarship recipients will be notified on or around FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2017.
February 1-4, 2018 Romero Center- Camden, NJ Camden, New Jersey is the nation s poorest city, yet is located in the wealthiest state. A trip to the Romero center, located in the heart of Camden, gives students the opportunity to serve the people there as well as in nearby Philadelphia. There are many urgent needs in Camden, so worksites vary and may change from day to day. Some possible placements include homeless shelters, soup kitchens, daycare programs, and housing rehab. After returning from work, evening and afternoon programming helps students to understand the reasons behind the poverty in Camden. Get more information by checking out the website www.romero-center.org and clicking on Urban Challenge in the Ministries tab! The estimated cost for this trip is $400.
January 18-20, 2018 March for Life Washington, D.C. The March For Life is held every year in Washington DC. It is a peaceful protest against the legalization of Abortion in the United States. Saint John s participates in the march every year together with thousands of young people from Long Island and other parts of the U.S. This year, we are expanding our spiritual pilgrimage to include service to the elderly with the Little Sisters of the Poor, as well as to our Veterans. We ll also visit our National Shrine, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, and the Catholic University of America. On the morning of the March, we will attend a Youth Rally at the Verizon Center where our students will join tens of thousands of other young pilgrims to pray the Rosary and celebrate Mass before making our way up Constitution Ave for the March itself. This price does include all accommodations and meals at the 4H, which provides comfortable quarters, as well as a game room. It also includes lunch on the day of the March. However, we do ask that our students have some cash for two rest-stop meals while traveling by coach bus. This pilgrimage is as important as it is unforgettable. We will leave early Thursday morning and return late Saturday night. Please visit www.marchforlife.org for more information. The estimated cost is $400."
April 2-7, 2018 Appalachia, Kentucky We will serve in conjunction with the Christian Appalachian Project and will provide essential services to those living in one of the most impoverished areas of the country. Students will be asked to serve either in the Housing Program or the Elderly Services Program. In both cases, work may include home repairs, painting, cleaning and possibly building new houses. We will be joined in Kentucky by groups of students from across the country who will share the week with us. We will eat meals, pray and serve alongside these other young people. Accommodations are provided by the Christian Appalachian Project. Students will stay in dormitory-style rooms with bunk beds. Please visit http://www.christianapp.org/ for more information. The estimated cost for this trip is $1600.
June 20 - July 12, 2018 (three) one week-long trips will run within these dates) Regalos de Dios (Gifts of God) Lima, Peru This journey will take us to the Hogar San Fransicso de Asis, a hospital for poor and destitute children. The Hogar is the hospital featured in the Grassroots film The Human Experience. Students will help out in the hospital by providing assistance and comfort to the hospital s residents and accompanying the children into the city of Lima for treatments. Please visit www.villalapazfoundation.org for more information. Please note that students do not stay at the Hogar, but rather at a Bed and Breakfast about one mile away. Please read below carefully before putting your name in to be considered for selection: These dates may change slightly depending on if overnight flights are scheduled. Spanish is not necessary, although helpful. This trip is open to current JUNIORS only. Before you submit a deposit for the Peru Mission trip, you must attend a meeting during the first 10 minutes of your lunch period on Monday, October 30 th or Tuesday October 31 st. To be eligible to be in the pool of students who will be picked randomly to go on the trip, you must be a JUNIOR, and you must come to one of these meetings. If you submit a deposit but your name is not on the attendance list, you will not be considered for the trip. There will be absolutely no exceptions to this policy as we can only bring 16 students on each trip. Please make sure you have all 3 weeks available as you will not have a choice in which week you go if you are picked. Filling out this form and going to the lunch meeting is not a guarantee that you will be picked to go. If we have more than the maximum number of students who show interest in going, we pick randomly. The estimated cost for this trip is $1,800.
Important Information for All Trips: Deposits of $200 are due Thursday, November 9, 2017. A payment schedule will be given to you should you be chosen for the trip you indicated. All checks should be made out to St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School. Please provide separate deposit checks for each trip you wish to go on. Write the name of the trip in the memo section of your check. Trips are not first come first serve. If there are too many students for a trip, preference will be given first to upperclassmen and then a lottery. Students may be prohibited from going on a trip if there are disciplinary issues. Once travel arrangements have been made, we may not be able to refund any money if a student does not go on the trip. All tuition and fees must be paid prior to leaving for the trip. If those obligations are not met, the student will not be permitted on the trip. Money may not be refunded! Final costs are estimates. We cannot commit to airfare prices until we have settled each trip. Each trip will have separate meetings for students and parents. Parental and student attendance at these meetings is mandatory.
MISSION OUTREACH 2017-2018 Name Enclosed is my $200 deposit for the following Mission Trip or Mission Trips. (A deposit is needed for each trip you are signing up for. Please include a SEPARATE CHECK for each trip and write the name of the trip in the memo section of the check). March for Life- Washington D.C. Romero Center- Camden, NJ Appalachia- Kentucky Regalos de Dios- Peru My scholarship application is included Deposit Due By: November 9, 2017