Senior Service Program Brings Faith to Life

Senior Service: Faith in Action

Enter to learn Christ. Leave to serve Christ. At Marist High School, these words become a daily reality through Senior Service. Rooted in the mission of the Marist Brothers, the program invites seniors to carry their faith beyond the classroom, build meaningful relationships, and
recognize the dignity of every person they encounter.

Founded in the late 1970s by Br. Larry Lavallee, FMS, Senior Service continues the vision of St. Marcellin Champagnat: to make Jesus Christ known and loved, especially to the least favored. This distinctive senior religion elective connects Catholic faith with consistent,
hands-on service in our community.

Senior Service Today

 Currently, 102 Marist seniors serve at 20 community partner sites. Students accompany older adults, support elementary school children, work alongside individuals with disabilities, assist hospital teams, contribute to organizations responding to needs such as food insecurity and domestic violence, and more.

The focus is not simply completing tasks or accumulating service hours. Students are called to show up, listen, learn, take initiative, and form authentic relationships. Through these everyday experiences, they begin to discover what it means to be servant leaders.

A Classroom Without Walls

Senior Service is structured as a double-period religion course. On regular service days, (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday) students leave campus to serve at their assigned partner organizations. Thursdays follow Marist’s late-start schedule and are not off-campus service days. Designated Stay Back days give students a traditional classroom setting to reflect on what they have witnessed, examine their experiences through the lens of Catholic teaching, and deepen their understanding of the Marist mission and charism. Discussion, prayer, reflection, and preparation help students return to their sites with greater purpose.

Service With Purpose

The Senior Service curriculum follows a seven-unit journey that helps students develop habits of faith, character, and leadership:
1. In the Footsteps: Marist identity, vocation, and professionalism.
2. Servant Leadership: Friendship, collaboration, and putting others first.
3. Love in Action: Empathy, compassion, and caring relationships.
4. Face of God: Recognizing human dignity in every person.
5. Why God?: Accompanying others through grief, loss, and suffering.
6. Feet of Social Justice: Connecting charity, change, justice, and responsible action.
7. Prayer Journey: Growing through prayer, discernment, and reflection.
Students put these lessons into practice through reliable attendance, professional conduct, respectful communication, active participation, and leadership at their sites. Marist staff visit partner organizations, observe students in action, and seek feedback from site supervisors to
support each student’s growth.

Relationships Matter

Service takes many forms. At Smith Village, seniors have led weekly Brain Game sessions with residents, preparing puzzles and trivia that create opportunities for conversation and connection. In elementary classrooms, students provide one-on-one academic support and
become trusted role models. At Neat Repeats, they help prepare donations that support the Crisis Center for South Suburbia. At Almost Home Chicago, students support community outreach through tasks such as organizing donations and assisting with food services.

Some of the most important moments are also the simplest: patiently listening to someone, helping a child gain confidence, greeting a person by name, or noticing where help is needed without being asked. These moments teach students that serving Christ begins with seeing Christ in others.

Growing Together Through Service

Senior Service depends on partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, residential communities, nonprofits, and other local organizations. Their staff welcome Marist seniors as part of their daily work, share their expertise, and help students become more confident and compassionate. In return, our students contribute their time, energy, ideas, and presence.

Learn More or Become a Community Partner

Current Marist students interested in Senior Service can speak with the Religious Studies Department about the senior-year course selection process. Community organizations interested in partnering with Marist can contact Patrick Meyer, Senior Service Program Facilitator, at
co**************@****st.net.

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