Christian Service Program

Building Community & Relationships with those We Serve

The Christian Service program at Loyola assumes that serving people experiencing marginalization and improving the world is a critical part of a student’s development into a person for and with others. Loyola offers an integrated program that highlights the need to act and to reflect on the experience of serving others, while also emphasizing the importance of building community and relationships with those we serve.

Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

“Today our prime educational objective must be to form men and women for others…men and women who cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors; men and women completely convinced that love of God which does not issue in justice for others is a farce.”

Active Service and Class Requirements

The Christian Service program includes both a required reflection class and active service component for all four years. For their active service requirement, students choose service placements and events that allow them to work directly for and with people experiencing marginalization.

Service Immersion Experiences

Loyola also offers optional service trips where students can deepen their experiences of faith, justice, and solidarity by spending an extended period of time serving in communities within the country and internationally. Service trip opportunities throughout the school year are available in Camden, NJ, Appalachia, Arizona, Mexico, Belize, and more, and have also included past trips to Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Alabama, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.

Program Goals

The ultimate intent of Loyola’s Christian Service program is to address the needs of people experiencing marginalization with a thoughtful and practical educational program. The Christian Service program is designed to nurture a habit of service beginning during a Loyola student’s high school years and continuing throughout adult life.

Wellington T. Mara, '33

Loyola School is honored and proud to name this program in memory of Wellington T. Mara of the class of 1933. Wellington was a true “man for others” who throughout his life was committed to service and spreading God’s love. As a Loyola alumnus, Gannon Award recipient, generous benefactor, devout Catholic, and outstanding leader, Wellington represented all of what Loyola School strives to accomplish in teaching students to be open to growth, committed to doing justice, religious, loving, and dedicated to academic excellence.

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