Christian Service

Everyone is called to serve

We serve because Jesus tells us that serving others is an important part of being a faithful Christian disciple: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40); “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:15); and “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31), to name a few.

We all need practice

An athlete could not be considered strong if she only worked out her legs and not the rest of her body; a pianist could not be considered musically adept if he only practiced with his right hand; a student cannot move on to calculus before first mastering the basics of algebra.

Similarly, our program seeks to provide students with opportunities to develop their capacities for living as Jesus did, in service to others. Accordingly, the type of service required of students at BCHS develops over the course of the high school journey.

Early in a student’s high school career, service focuses largely though not exclusively, on areas closest to home, namely the student’s own parish/faith community and Bishop Chatard. As students progress through their time at BCHS, service requirements begin to call students beyond their comfort zones, requiring them to engage in service opportunities that place them in contact with the poor and marginalized. Like lifting weights, practicing the piano, or studying math, our expectations within the Christian Service Program might stretch students outside of their comfort zone, but this is necessary so they can advance in their understanding of serving as Christ calls us to.

As a Catholic high school, we are proud to set high expectations in the formation of our students: academically, athletically, in extracurriculars, and perhaps most importantly, spiritually. The Christian Service Program is an integral part of the spiritual formation of our students. It always goes back to Jesus, who is both Teacher and Servant: “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).

It fulfills a Graduation Pathway required by the IN DOE

We also serve at Bishop Chatard because it fulfills a Graduation Pathway required by the Indiana Department of Education to demonstrate employability skills. This means that, starting with the Class of 2023, in order to graduate, Bishop Chatard students must fulfill these expectations.

It’s part of who we are

The four pillars at Bishop Chatard are faith, learning, leadership, and service. It’s no coincidence that we start with faith and end with service. Faith is the fertile ground in which other virtues spring up, and service is the perfection of everything that we hope to achieve at Bishop Chatard: faithful, educated leaders giving themselves for others. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Below are some examples of service that would fit into Area 1. These are only examples, there are many other ways to serve in parishes/faith communities and at BCHS!

Service to Parish / Faith Communities

• Helping with a liturgical ministry during Mass or Sunday worship
  • Lector / Altar Server / Usher
  • Sacristan / Hospitality
  • Member of the Band/Choir
  • Eucharistic Minister (Confirmed Catholics)
• Cleaning / decorating the church
• Participating in a church-sanctioned service with other parishioners
  • St. Vincent dePaul
  • Urban gardening
  • Prison ministry
• Helping with a church event
  • Vacation Bible School
  • Socials or festivals
  • Lenten Fish Frys
  • Pancake Breakfast
  • Sunday school
• Babysitting at church so adults can attend church functions

Service to Bishop Chatard

• Assisting BCHS Campus Ministry
  • Liturgies
  • Retreats
  • Peer Ministry
• Helping BCHS programs
• • Annual Fund Dinner
  • Chatard-a-bration
  • Open House
  • Dance Marathon
  • Other Ambassador-related activities
  • Athletic camps providing North Deanery outreach

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person
  This theme highlights the belief that all human life is sacred, created by God out of love and in His image. Service in this category would include any act that helps to recognize the dignity of people. For example:
  • Working with organizations that recognize the worth of individuals with special needs like Gigi’s House and Best Buddies through Bishop Chatard
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation
  This theme highlights the fact that human beings are social and made for community. Service in this category would include any act that supports the family as the basic social unit, and the common good for all, especially the poor and marginalized. For example:
  • Supporting refugees by providing child care through Catholic Relief Services while parents take classes in English
  • Welcoming new-comers to our parishes and school through hospitality ministries
  • Working with younger parishioners at Summer Vacation Bible Schools
• Rights and Responsibilities
  Rooted in our human dignity, human rights must be protected and responsibilities met. Therefore we all have a right to life and those things required for a human being to flourish such as food and shelter. Service in this category would include any act that supports human dignity and helps meet responsibilities to one another, our families, and our community. For example:
  • Feeding the hungry at the Cathedral Soup Kitchen
  • Working to protect the rights of the marginalized with organizations like HOOP (Helping Our Own People)
• Preferential Option for the Poor
  A good way to tell how a society is doing morally is to ask how well its most vulnerable members are faring. The Gospel calls us to put the needs of these individuals first. Service in this category would include any effort to recognize the special needs of those experiencing poverty, homelessness, or other disenfranchisement. For example
  • Sheltering the homeless with organizations like Wheeler Mission
  • Helping to provide basic clothing needs for individuals and families with Mission 27
  • Feeding families with St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantries
• The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
  The dignity of work is rooted, not in the salary earned or the prestige given, but rather in the fact that the person performing the task is made in God’s image. Therefore all work has dignity, and all workers’ rights must be protected. Service in this category would include any action that supports helping others support themselves. For example:
  • Supporting Catholic Worker Houses of Hospitality like House of the Little Flower on the near east side of Indianapolis and the Bloomington Catholic Worker Farm
  • Working with Nine2Five ministries through Cornerstone Christian Church to support the unemployed and underemployed to find meaningful work
• Solidarity
  In our world, loving our neighbor has global implications. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict. Service in this category would include any action that promotes peace and justice among neighbors, near or far. For example:
  • Serving with parish missions to other parts of the world
  • Participating in CSI trips through Bishop Chatard
  • Supporting Catholic Relief and Immigration Services
• Care for God’s Creation
  One way we show our love for God is by loving and respecting his creation. Environmental challenges are moral issues and cannot be ignored. Service in this category would include any action that recognizes our responsibility to God’s creation. For example:
  • Serving the city of Indianapolis through efforts at the Indy Humane Society
  • Participating in beautification projects through local organizations like Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
  • Sharing in the mission of faith-based organizations such as Catholic Climate Covenant.