From June 21-26, Brother Martin joined with a total of 53 students from six Brothers’ schools for a week of service in Baton Rouge. The 2nd Annual Brothers of the Sacred Heart United States Province Mission Experience partnered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Catholic Charities to work on various projects and serve the poor. The participating students painted the interiors of several apartments, organized medication at the pharmacy, served food at the soup kitchen, sorted donations at the warehouse, and provided the labor for countless other tasks.
Last year, Brother Martin hosted the first annual mission experience that celebrated the formation of a single province of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in the U.S.
The Brother Martin students joined students from E.D. White, St. Stanislaus, Vandebilt, and the Brothers’ school in Nashua, New Hampshire – Bishop Guertin. In fact, Bishop Guertin was the largest participating group with 19 students. The rising juniors from Brother Martin who participated in the service work fulfilled the 60 hour service requirement for their junior year service project.
In addition to the work of each day, students gathered for morning prayer in the Brothers’ chapel at Catholic High – each day led by a different combination of schools. On the final night, students celebrated Mass with the retired Brothers living in the house next door to CHS. This celebration was a reunion of sorts for all these Brothers who have spent time at the various schools. In the evenings, students got to experience Baton Rouge, touring LSU and downtown, as well as other organized activities.
“The entire experience was truly guided by the Spirit and was a deep expression of the Charism of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart,” said CHS Campus Minister Scott Losavio who hosted this year’s mission experience.
