ALTAMONTE SPRINGS | On Wednesday, January 22, , the entire 8th grade class of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School went to several different sites on a field trip encouraging “Living Gospel Values”. On this field trip, the children traveled to organizations such as Harvest Time International and Cascade Heights, an assisted living facility, and performed various acts of charity.
Those working at Harvest Time sorted and folded clothing in preparation for shipping to disaster-stricken and impoverished places. The clothes is turned into bedding or given to women and children, as needed. While the students were there, they had the chance to view the reduced-price food bank, helping less fortunate families buy food, clothing, and even toys to give for the holidays.
Although what these eighth-graders did seemed very small, their kindness will have a large impact on someone struggling somewhere else in the world. Their work helps keep families warm when sleeping at night or provides clean clothing—something many have not seen for a very long time. “The experience put me out of my comfort zone, but in the end, it made me feel good knowing that I was helping somebody else,” Gwyn said.
But how does this relate to our Catholic faith? Well, sorting these clothes and selling food at reduced prices to low-income families is helping your neighbor in need. By doing so, students lived out two of the Corporal Works of Mercy, feeding the hungry and clothing the naked.
This event also exemplified the theological virtue of charity; a virtue God wants us to live out in everyday life. This service project was a great opportunity to help our neighbors from our own community. God asks us to care for all people, no matter where they come from or who they are, because they are children of God too.
Article written by Austin Elaine, an eighth grade student at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School, Altamonte Springs
March 3, 2020