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It's not just for students anymore. The Saint Louis University Christian Action Program (SLUCAP) invites faculty and staff to join its students in serving the local community. SLUCAP is sponsored by campus ministry.
The program places students in social service agencies in the local St. Louis community and provides opportunities for reflection on their service experience in light of the Christian faith. This year, Harry O'Rourke, SJ, would like to open that opportunity to any member of the University community. O'Rourke is the campus minister for peace and justice issues.
"It has come to my attention that there is some interest among our faculty and staff in serving alongside our students, and we want to respond to that interest," he said.
Involvement would be the same as that for students: a four-hour commitment each week during the semester, with the majority of time spent at a local social service agency and 30 minutes for reflection and prayer immediately following. Assignments are made for weekday afternoons or evenings, or weekends. The SLUCAP semester begins Sept. 19.
O'Rourke stressed that faculty and staff participants would not be expected to take a leadership role; all reflection sessions are led by students.
Last year, 80 students served at a dozen social service agencies, which included Karen House Catholic worker community, St. Joseph's Home for Boys, St. Patrick's Center, a day shelter for the homeless, and Our Lady's Inn, a home for expectant mothers seeking an alternative to abortion.
"This is not a new program," O'Rourke said. "It's a matter of expanding the program to accommodate anyone from the University community who is interested.
"This is an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to work together outside of the classroom, to pray together and to reflect together on social justice issues.," O'Rourke said. "At the same time, they are helping to better the community and meeting the needs of the poor. It's another way to live out the mission of this Jesuit university."
For more information, call O'Rourke at 977-1532 or by e-mail, orourkeh@slu.edu.
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