MargaretTeresa Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 So. I know that I'm going to have to wait a while before I can enter anywhere. Which, totes stinks. But anyway. I was thinking, why can't I do a short term mission somewhere? The problem is, I don't know what on the interwebs is and isn't legit as far as Catholic missions. So, can I get some help? Pax and God bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissylou Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 [quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1310423780' post='2265943'] So. I know that I'm going to have to wait a while before I can enter anywhere. Which, totes stinks. But anyway. I was thinking, why can't I do a short term mission somewhere? The problem is, I don't know what on the interwebs is and isn't legit as far as Catholic missions. So, can I get some help? Pax and God bless. [/quote] You mean like a few weeks "short term mission trip" or like a yearlong kind-of-like-Americorps-but-Catholic sort of thing? If you mean the second, the Jesuit Volunteer Corps is the most established of those. Many other programs are modelled off the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I spent some time in JVC after college. Their motto is "Ruined for life" which I have to say may be the best description of conversion I have ever heard. There are some elements of JVC which you may find too progressive for your tastes. It's big and attracts a lot of people. Some are very conservative, some are wildly liberal, many are at various points in between. I would guess, although I do not know for sure, that orders who are considered more "traditional" may attract a more uniformly conservative set of volunteers (although I might be wildly mistaken on that). But tons of other orders have developed similar sorts of programs. As you're interested in various communities, you may ask around for what they have connections to, and what they recommend. There are some where you live with the religious community and join in their community life. Although this may NOT help you pay down your loans. When I was in JVC we were eligible for the Americorps educational stipend. I think that things have changed since then so that programs which have religious requirements (which JVC does, obviously) are not eligible for the Americorps stipend. Which, if you're desperately trying to kill off loans, is a definite negative. Another possibility to look into might be faith-based organizations who hire Americorps folks, that don't technically have religious REQUIREMENTS but hey we all know the general ethos of what we're doing here. That way you're still working in a ministry, you're of course free to pray and hang out with church people just as much as you darn please when it isn't your working hours, and you get the educational stipend to kill your loans. Krissy the Ever Pragmatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 The SSVMs also do a lay missionary program. And it totally varies according to what you'd like... if you want to do something long term, they can help you work that out. Or if you just want to do a few weeks, they can set it up too. Check it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretTeresa Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thanks for the advice, both of you. I'm looking at more like a few week thing. But this is all tentative, like everything else in my life. Including a trip to Boston over my winter holidays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vee Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Boston!?!?!?! You can go on Krissy the Ever Pragmatic's nun run! (no actual running involved but I think there is a hill to walk up.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretTeresa Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share Posted July 11, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1310427007' post='2265995'] Boston!?!?!?! You can go on Krissy the Ever Pragmatic's nun run! (no actual running involved but I think there is a hill to walk up.) [/quote] Boston would be specifically visiting the FSPs at the Motherhouse. And possibly some Poor Clares, if I remember correctly. Speaking of, Krissy- do your PCs have a webby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1310423780' post='2265943'] So. I know that I'm going to have to wait a while before I can enter anywhere. Which, totes stinks. But anyway. I was thinking, why can't I do a short term mission somewhere? The problem is, I don't know what on the interwebs is and isn't legit as far as Catholic missions. So, can I get some help? Pax and God bless. [/quote] Are you thinking along the lines of what I am going to do? I can give you some websites to look at if you are thinking along the lines of long-term volunteer work with a stipend. There are some great Catholic organizations that have stipends, room and board, medical insurance, and money for school when you complete your service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretTeresa Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1310430154' post='2266041'] Are you thinking along the lines of what I am going to do? I can give you some websites to look at if you are thinking along the lines of long-term volunteer work with a stipend. There are some great Catholic organizations that have stipends, room and board, medical insurance, and money for school when you complete your service. [/quote] Oh amesome! Yes please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1310430653' post='2266053'] Oh amesome! Yes please! [/quote] These websites allow you to search the various opportunities. The CVN was my favorite as it allowed me to see what they offer before clicking on the links. [url="https://www.catholicvolunteernetwork.org/index.php"]Catholic Volunteer Network[/url] [url="http://www.pallotticenter.org/"]Palotti Center for Volunteers[/url] These are the missions I am very interested in: [url="http://www.lampministries.org/index.htm"]LAMP Missionaries in New York[/url] (the CFR Sisters highly recommend them) [url="http://www.larcheusa.org/"]L'Arche (founded in France by a lay Catholic man; founded on the Beatitudes; I am in the preliminary application stage with them)[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretTeresa Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Krissy, and I quit school and do this instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1310432154' post='2266089'] Krissy, and I quit school and do this instead? [/quote] That's essentially what I am doing, at least for a semester. I was planning to go to school this fall to take Elementary Statistics--my last required math class and the last class I have before I graduate with my Associates in Arts degree. However, I have no money for gas and my mom, who was going to pay for it, has fallen into some financial hardship, so it looks like it will be put off until Spring 2012. I'm actually glad, in a way, because the commencement ceremony only takes place in the Spring (May) so I'd be able to walk to receive my degree. It will be so nice considering it's been 10 years since I graduated high school (2001). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulBride Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1310426183' post='2265983'] Thanks for the advice, both of you. I'm looking at more like a few week thing. But this is all tentative, like everything else in my life. Including a trip to Boston over my winter holidays [/quote] LifeTeen camps are short term (6 to 8 weeks at a time) However I don't know if they are paid or not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MithLuin Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 For a few weeks in the summer, you can consider helping with Catholic HEART Workcamp. You'd essentially be a camp counselor - you'd be trained on a team, and then help high school kids do a one-week mission. They work to help fix up people's houses (mostly painting and yard work) during the day, and then come back in the evening for fun/retreat activities. Each week, you'll move on to a new US city. You'll have to look into timing, but there would generally be a commitment to 4 different weeks of workcamp plus training. So, perhaps this is a bit long for you.... [url=http://www.heartworkcamp.com/staff/application.htm]Workcamp Staff info[/url] I can vouch for the group being legitimately Catholic, though not for whether or not this type of thing would appeal to you . It tends to be very high-energy work, though it can be very rewarding to work with high school students. It will give you the experience of solidarity with other Catholic young adults, but *not* a 'taste' of living in religious community (the group is unlikely to say the LotH, for instance, though daily mass is available). Another group that would be a summer thing (6-10 weeks) is the [url=http://www.themoes.us/]Missionaries of the Eucharist[/url]. They do have a schedule a lot more like a religious order (chant LotH [lauds, vespers, compline], daily mass, hour of silence at 3 PM, practice obedience, etc.) You may look into only doing part of the Walk if you are not free for the whole summer. There are groups that do spring break mission trips (generally through Catholic colleges or Catholic college groups), so you might want to look into local colleges or on the internet to connect with one. That would be a 1 week - 10 day trip, usually. Sometimes there are longer ones over winter break (Jan). They might be US or international. [url=http://www.generationlife.org/]Generation Life[/url] (a legit Catholic prolife group) does [url=http://purelovelife.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/sarabeach/]Beach Outreach[/url], which is where they evangelize at [url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/preaching_purity_on_the_jersey_shore/]the Jersey Shore[/url] each summer. That's a short term opportunity. [url=http://www.generationlife.org/2011/07/emptiness/]Another link[/url]. If interested, contact Gen Life for more info, or check out this [url=https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227024457323608]Facebook[/url] page. Sorry if all these opportunities are for next year. I just wanted to throw some possibilities out there. For short term stuff, there's all sorts of options, and if you contact a group, you might find out that they're willing to have you help them out very informally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MargaretTeresa Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 I look and look and look.... maybe it's best if I just save money up so I can enter sooner. Thread close? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissylou Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1310427077' post='2265996'] Boston would be specifically visiting the FSPs at the Motherhouse. And possibly some Poor Clares, if I remember correctly. Speaking of, Krissy- do your PCs have a webby? [/quote] If you're in "window shopping" mode and you visit the FSPs, you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO visit the Poor Clares too. As they are within easy walking distance. They update the web page about once a decade, it seems like. But it does exist. (I think although i could be mistaken, that they have gathered some younger vocations in the last years and the "community photo" where the youngest nun is a silver jubilarian is quite out of date.) [font="'lucida grande"][size=2] [/size][/font] [font="'lucida grande"][size=2]http://www.stanthonyshrine.org/PoorClares/[/size][/font] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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