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Campus Ministry |  Liturgy  |  Retreat  |  Service Learning for Social Justice

Service Learning for Social Justice

•  See a Habitat for Humanity Trip at Easter
•  See the Sophomores workday at the Community Food Bank

On Thursday, March 21st, the entire Seton Hall Prep Community was asked to "just stop it," by Jim Keady and Leslie Kretzu of Educating for Justice (EFJ), a nonprofit education and advocacy organization that brings the stories of Nike's Indonesian workers to audiences throughout the country. Mr. Keady and Ms. Kretzu were brought to the school as a part of SHP's annual "Peace and Justice' lecture that flows out of our school's Service Learning for Social Justice Program. This year's presentation dealt with an issue and a symbol that is omnipresent in American culture.

Educating for Justice's Nike Corporate Accountability Campaign began with Mr. Keady and Ms. Kretzu's one month immersion experience living with Nike's factory workers on $1.25 a day in an Indonesian village, home to many Nike workers. Through this campaign, EFJ works to educate the public about the human stories of Nike's factory workers and to educate the workers about their rights and worth in the global marketplace. EFJ strives to empower both workers and consumers to take action with the goal of establishing justice in the workplace and peace in our global family.

During the presentation the entire student body was challenged through video clips, role play, and lecture to confront the harsh conditions that the workers of Indonesia deal with on a daily basis— a starvation wage, workplace abuse, absence of unions, and environmental degradation. EFJ is deeply committed to the belief that all people value, justice, fairness, and the dignity of every human person. They encouraged the students to stand in solidarity with the workers and to embrace their power as members of the privileged class in the world community.

At the end of the day, it was fair to say that the students of SHP were talking. Students  gathered around the presenters late into the afternoon, while other students debated in the hallways. EFJ hopes that they were inspired enough to get involved.

For more information on EFJ's Nike Corporate Accountability Campaign, go to nikewages.org.

 

The Student Body
Seton Hall Preparatory School
Novenmer 21, 2002

Dear Friends,

You have a great heart!
     Seton Hall is known for its academic achievements as reflected not only in its present day students, but also in the success of the members of the Alumni.
     The men of Seton Hall have a zeal for scholarship and positive results.
     Seton Hall is known for its athletic program. Year after year the sports pages are filled with victories and trophies—all belonging to the Prep.
     The students of Seton Hall have the deep desire to play the game fairly…and to win.
     In the quiet of each student's heart is the flame to help his fellow person…to respect his or her dignity as a child of God. The limited society about us might not realize such a longing, but there are some who do because they are the recipients of this compassion.
     We at St. John's Soup Kitchen know of your generosity of time, talent and financial resources. The amazing gift you have given to The Kitchen of one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five dollars will help it serve the people who come in need to its door. With the great increase in those numbers [750 dinners more each week than a year ago] your donation allows The Kitchen to keep abreast of the numbers.
     The students of Seton Hall Prep help their fellow person even at the cost of personal sacrifice.
     The students of Seton Hall truly have a big heart…and the Lord blesses them and smiles upon them.
     My fellow Setonians, our friends at the Prep…Thank you.

Sincerely,

Fr. Jim Finnerty '47, Director
November 21, 2002

Service Learning for Social Justice

In keeping with the concept of converting words into action, the Prep began a program in 2000— Service Learning for Social Justice. This bold initiative intensifies the school's already impressive community involvement and adds the element of "social justice" to the experience. Students are expected to participate in projects that address social issues plaguing society today. From the experience, Seton Hall Prep builds bridges between the classroom and the world, between a student's faith and his actions.

The initial venture took place August 13 to 15, 2000 at the Romero Center in Camden, New Jersey.  Like its patron, Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, it is committed to promoting peace and justice in the city of Camden. Its mission is to nourish the spiritual lives of people in Camden and the surrounding areas and to build bridges of understanding between people of faith in urban and suburban communities.

The program was entitled "Urban Challenge", and combines service in the city with work, study and prayer. With program director Mr. Chris Barnett as facilitator, six Prep students spent the three days wielding hammers at a construction site, rehabbing and repairing homes in the city of Camden, and evenings participating in discussions on urban poverty and the plight of the poor.

Mr. Barnitt noted that the Prep is eager for information regarding project opportunities for students to become involved in, and connections to resources appropriate for social justice education.

  • If you are aware of organizations [non-profits] involved in justice work that could provide Prep students with regular opportunities to address the needs of surrounding communities, OR
  • if you have connections to other resources of value to social justice education [speakers, workshops, video libraries,, etc.] OR
  • if you would like to participate in a project or be informed of upcoming opportunities that Seton Hall Prep will offer... contact us with details

 

 

Front: Melvin Sarkor. Standing: Tim Walsh, Ms. Pat Slater (Romero Center Director), Chris Barnitt, Nick DeGregorio, Courteney Palmer, Joe Dooley, Jason Graves
 
 


 

    

 

 

January 2, 2001

Merry Christmas, belatedly, to all the students and staff at Seton Hall! I am overwhelmed by your donation of $2000 [ed- the proceeds from November's Tag Day], which will be used to pay the surgery of a boy from our orphanage, Junior Maxim, who is going blind. He has an eye infection that has been difficult to treat. He has cataracts now because of it and the fluid that fills the eye and keeps it round has become cloudy. Because of the cataracts and clouds he cannot see. Your Christmas gift has literally returned sight to the blind—and that is one of the signs of Christ's true presence.

I wish for all of you every blessing from God as the great Jubilee draws to a close, and throughout 2001.

With Thanks, Love and Prayers,

Rich
[Fr. Richard Frechette, C.P.]

  • Fr. Richard Frechette, A Doctor for Haiti
  • For the last four years, Father Richard Frechette, C.P., trained to be a physician at the NY College of Osteopathic Medicine of New York Institute of Technology in Westbury, Long Island. This spring he graduated from the Institute. The school's newspaper called him "one of the brightest stars of NYCOM's Class of 1999".
  • Father Rick has worked for many years, even in the critical times of embargo and political upheaval, in poverty-stricken Haiti at a ten-building orphanage south of the capital, Port-au-Prince. To serve children better he began medical studies at the Long Island Institute. While studying there, he returned to Haiti on weekends and breaks to work at his beloved orphanage. He also brought groups of his classmates with him to acquaint them with his work.
  • Now a physician, Father Rick can offer the poor of Haiti his skills as a doctor as well as a priest.
  • [from "Compassion" magazine- published by the Passionist Fathers, Union City, NJ]

 

During the Easter Break a score of Prep students and teachers  traded their sunscreen or ski poles for hammers and saws, as they travelled to Scott and Morgan Counties in Tennessee to work with Habitat for Humanity in the building of affordable housing for low-income families. Organized by the Prep's Director of Service Learning, Christopher Barnitt, the group joined others under the auspices of the Campus Chapters and Youth Programs Department of the internationally known organization, based in Americus, Georgia. Click to see the trip

 

"Thank you" notes from those helped by Prep students
 

 Dear Joe and Theresa [Neglia],
Merry Christmas, to you and the wonderful students of Seton Hall Prep! We are so grateful for your donation and that of the students. Please accept the deepest gratitude of the Staff, and the children in Haiti served by our mission! Peace, [Fr.] Rick [Frechette, CP]

 

Dear Msgr. Kelly,

Thank you so much for your generous donation of $300. We have been extremely busy here at the Interfaith Food Pantry as the need for supplemental food continues to grow. While the majority of our regular clients still are senior citizens, the number of low income working families seeking assistance increases weekly….

Our goals for 2000 included expanding the schedule for food distribution to include weekend hours for our working families, increasing the amount of food collected, finishing renovating our warehouse and distribution sites, and continuing to develop our youth volunteer programs.

To accomplish these goals, we clearly need a great deal of help. We appreciate your partnership in this ministry, as we work together to help our neighbors in need…We really enjoyed having your group here to help us move all the baskets. What a great group!. Looking forward to working together again.

Sincerely,

Rosemary Gilmartin
Executive Director