Belen Jesuit students dedicate a day to service

By Teresa Martinez - Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

MIAMI | Belen Jesuit Preparatory School celebrated Ignatian Week March 13-17, culminating with students participating in different works of service throughout an entire school day. 

In the middle school, 600 students worked on the following service projects:

• Sixth grade: Sandwich-making for the homeless. Students made over 1,200 sunflower seed butter and jelly sandwiches which will be distributed to the Missionaries of Charity and Camillus House.
• Seventh grade: Assembled hundreds of care packages for the homeless which will be distributed to the Missionaries of Charity.
• Eighth grade: Assembled over 800 book bags for Caring for Miami.  

The high school's 650 students watched a documentary titled Project S.H.I.E.L.D. (Siblings Help Inform Everyone about Living with Disabilities) that was made by 11th grade student Andres Dones. Andres has a brother with special needs and has seen firsthand the difficulties his brother encounters. As a true "Man for Others," Andres hopes his documentary will not only shed light on the daily struggles of families with a special needs child, but also call on everyone to treat them with compassion and love. The film was shown to the middle school in January. 

“Ignatian Week is an opportunity for students to study about the life of St. Ignatius, the history of the Jesuit Order, Jesuit saints, Ignatian ideals such as 'finding God in all things' and the impact of the Jesuits in our world today,” said Kathleen Mackle, Theology Department chairperson.