Youth Group Helps Those In Need

Members of the St. Maria Goretti Youth group joined with the Glenmary Home Missioners to help the less fortunate in the counties of Union and Grainger in Tennessee. They worked hard from July 12-16 before enjoying an exhilarating white water rafting trip on July 17.

“I was so excited for my first mission trip! There were so many great experiences with even greater people. Every minute brought something new and something wonderful. I can’t wait for next year!” said rising freshman Lindsey Field from Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Haubstadt.

The youth group was assigned many different tasks - including helping an older lady whose house needed to be waterproofed.

They also helped organize the donation office of Kingswood, an organization that cares for neglected children by giving them a place to stay and healthy food to eat as well as instilling within them the discipline and skills to make something better of their lives. The young missionaries also had the opportunity to spend time with these children and play basketball with them.

Another big project they had involved helping a woman who lived in a run-down mobile home without any electricity or plumbing. They built a new deck for her so that she could safely get in and out of her home. They also replaced her windows and a broken door. They learned how to install a sink, a water heater and the pipes needed for the new plumbing. Even though they didn’t complete the project, they planted the seeds of hope that will grow with the help of the other young missionaries who will visit the area to help the Glenmary Missioners later this summer. 

One of the major impacts for the St. Maria Goretti members was the shocking realization of how blessed they are. When they went to the mobile home and met the young kids, they began to appreciate the little things they always have taken for granted.

“Getting away for a week from your everyday life and responsibilities … and helping others and letting God lead … is difficult,” said trip chaperone Terri Ziliak of St. Bernard Parish in Snake Run. “But seeing how little these people have was eye-opening. It makes you stop and think about what is really important in life. Watching a group of young people work together, not complain and have such a good time helping others is so refreshing. I was so fortunate to be able to be a part of this mission trip!”

The young missionaries grew closer in community by playing games together, working with one another to make breakfast and dinner, by praying together every morning and reflecting on their day at night. Being together under one roof helped members of the youth group feel like a tight-knit family.

The group was also given opportunities to grow closer to the community. One evening the group went to the local firehouse where they enjoyed some southern food and listened to 12 local men play guitars and sing. They shared their singing talents as the men played, and they learned some traditional line dances from the south.

Another evening, they learned about ecumenism by attending a Baptist service – mingling with others from different faiths, understanding more their beliefs and respecting them for their differences.

On the final evening of the trip, the group celebrated a bilingual Mass with the Latinos from the community. It was a new experience for many of them to participate in a bilingual Mass, and it helped them to appreciate more the universality of the Catholic Church.

After the Mass, one of the Glenmary brothers spoke about the order’s charism to establish a Catholic presence in Southern counties without Catholic churches. They help bridge the gap between Protestants and Catholics and open dialogue between them, which leads to a greater understanding and respect of different faiths.

“One thing that always sticks out to me when going on mission trips is that we come to serve the people in need, but I think we end up on the receiving end just as much, if not more, than those we serve,” reflected Bryan Macke, the youth minister of the St. Maria Goretti youth group, which consists of the parishes Holy Cross in Fort Branch and Sts. Peter and Paul and St. James in Haubstadt. “Through our experiences this week, our group received growth in the virtues of humility, patience, and charity. And we see the value in these virtues … it will spill over into our lives at home.”