Spirituality (pt 2)

The idea of spirituality was a very important point in my search for a full time volunteer opportunity. If I was going to take an entire year off from my college endeavors, I wanted it to mean something to me. I wanted to experience some sort of growth in my time away, something that would more fully justify quitting West Point with no guarantee of returning. The growth I wanted most was in my faith life. I wanted to learn more about and become more secure in my identity as a Catholic Christian.

So Andre House was a no brainer for me. I found that the Core Covenant excerpt wasn’t too specific about what we do on a daily basis, so here goes. We start each weekday with Mass in our parking lot. It is always a great privilege and pleasure to be able to celebrate Mass on a daily basis, but it is difficult to focus since there are lots of people going about their own business all around us. The person who reflects on the day’s readings at Mass also plans a prayer session for “noon prayer.” As the name might suggest, we gather around noon and pray together. We also have a prayer before every meal, both at the main building and at our transitional houses. Every first Friday of the month, we gather for Mass at our transitional house and invite our guests and volunteers to join us.

There are two priests and one brother on the staff, so that aids our spirituality and keeps things focused. Two of our staff have degrees in religious subjects (theology and religious studies), so that is another source of knowledge.

I have experienced considerable spiritual growth in my four months at Andre House. I am more comfortable than I ever have been talking about religious and spiritual topics. With every reflection, I gain more knowledge of the Bible and its ins and outs. I have learned so much about myself in matters of religion and faith and hope to continue to grow.