Example Formation Grants
1. “Sacred Heart Detroit Day Camp” at St. Charles Lwanga Parish (Detroit, Michigan)
“The [start-up] camp was three days a week for four weeks during the month of July. There were about twenty-five kids, ages five to twelve, that came from the surrounding neighborhood in the west side of the city. Each day, we were able to provide the kids with breakfast and lunch, a safe place to do crafts, play and pray. Overall, the goal of the camp was to provide the kids of the neighborhood with love, support, and an encounter with Jesus.”
“Each day was filled with its own challenges and struggles, but each day I learned more about what it means to love when it is hard, and my heart will forever be changed because of the love that these kids taught me.”
2. Media Volunteer, World Youth Day 2019 (Panama City, Panama)
“It’s hard to summarize such a special week....full of emotion and providential encounters. I went straight to work and recorded a panel on the support of non-Catholic religious leaders in the organization of WYD. Then, I interviewed...some Jesuit teens from Hong Kong and Taiwan. We saw [the Pope] pass in the 'Popemobile' as we sang 'Esta es la juventud del papa' (This is the Pope's Youth). All the way, we sang, and ran, and jumped, as everyone was doing). We were full of joy.
“The last day opened with mass with the Pope. After it ended, and as we walked away, I did some last-minute interviews, some of which turned out to be very deep. We then went to the volunteer event, in which the Pope gave one of the most emotional speeches of all, centered on the famous phrase, 'God is not outdone in generosity.' At that event, in his usual 'Francis way,' he gave his blessing while pointing to where I was, at the very back. It meant a lot to me. One final gift from such a generous God.”
3. Group Proposal – Service Initiative at St. Bartolome Parish (Baire, Cuba)
“The focus of this trip was the construction of a much-needed new church building, and before arriving in Baire, I thought of this trip simply as a chance to help others less fortunate than myself build a church. However, after arriving in Cuba, I quickly realized my time spent there would be extremely beneficial to my life too. Over the course of the week, I was exposed to a world and culture I knew little about, I was able to deepen my spiritual convictions, and I was able to form lasting friendships. Since returning back to campus I can genuinely say my outlook on many aspects of life and faith have changed a considerable amount.”
Other Projects Funded by Formation Grants
1. Women’s Shelter (Cochambana, Bolivia)
2. Pilgrimage to Poland inspired by Saint Pope John Paul II
3. Camino de Santiago
4. International Medical Brigade (Quito, Ecuador)