Saint Mary’s College student Riley Swope stands with a group of children at Holy Cross Ministries (HCM). Riley spent eight weeks this summer volunteering with the HCM Summer Program for children grades K-5 in Park City, Utah.
Saint Mary’s College students Riley Swope (left) and Kylee Abwavo (right) enjoy some free time during their summer stay at Holy Cross Ministries.
Annie Donohue, a Summer Service Learning Program student from the University of Notre Dame, is pictured with a young boy in the Holy Cross Ministries Summer Program.
Saint Mary’s College students Riley Swope and Kylee Abwavo spent eight weeks this summer volunteering with the Holy Cross Ministries (HCM) Summer Program for children grades K-5. Riley and Kylee lived with Sisters Verónica A. Fajardo, CSC, and Mary Ann Pajakowski, CSC, during their stay in Park City, Utah.
“It was a summer of many firsts for the students and they did great! They are part of the program for the Office for Civic and Social Engagement at the college and were joined in their volunteer service by two Summer Service Learning Program students from the University of Notre Dame, Krystyna Kula and Annie Donohue, who also gave the same love and enthusiasm to the children,” said Sister Mary Ann. “Riley and Kylee jumped right into the daily routine of prayer, work, cooking, cleaning, yard work and very definite enjoyment of Park City and Utah National Parks hiking trails, and other places after work and on weekends.”
Each Monday night, all four of the student volunteers met with Sisters Verónica and MaryAnn to share a meal, pray, and reflect on ministry and service. Sisters MaryAnn, Verónica and HCM (a ministry sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross)are very grateful for their generosity, compassionate hearts and willingness to be open and learn from all the new experiences of the summer. They feel blessed that our world has a generation of young people like these four volunteers.
Photos courtesy of Holy Cross Ministries
