Best of the Week 2019-2020: Holy Cross Values

ST. ED'S 2019-2020 THEME UPHOLDS THE PILLAR OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP

For the 2019-2020 school year, St. Ed's has chosen, "Go and Do Likewise" as the new theme, focusing on the pillar of Servant Leadership. Christ-like servant leadership is at the heart of our Holy Cross mission. Members of our St. Ed's community are encouraged, as the Holy Cross Constitutions state, to "come not just as servants but as their neighbors." Finding inspiration from the parable of the Good Samaritan, our Student Ministers specifically chose the phrase, "Go and Do Likewise" to reflect the boundless compassion and love that Jesus's followers are called to embrace. The new 2019-2020 theme is a reminder of our commitment to bring justice to the world and to emulate the mercy displayed in the story of the Good Samaritan. "Students really gravitated toward the example of Jesus washing his feet when he tells his disciples that he is the model to follow as well as the story of the Good Samaritan that challenges others to go and do likewise. A theme that calls everyone to action is really important," says Campus Minister Ms. Cari White.

To kick off the school year and act on this year's theme, over 40 faculty and staff members volunteered to attend service projects at the Bishop Cosgrove Center, Brookside Food Pantry, Kids' Book Bank of Cleveland, Lakewood Community Services Center, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, St. Herman's House of Hospitality, St. Malachi's Back Door Ministry and St. Vitus Parish. By choosing to serve others and give back to their community, our faculty and staff volunteers lived out the "Go and Do Likewise" theme, challenging fellow faculty and staff, Edsmen and community members to do the same. Additionally, faculty and staff departments have set goals for how they can implement the theme in their work throughout the year and Student Ministry will be offering a theme-based retreat for students to reflect on scripture that inspired the theme. "I think our school theme gives us something bigger to live for," says VP of Mission Effectiveness Mr. Liam Haggerty '02. "For me, a call to service is humbling. It asks me to think of ways in which I can live my life for others, to go outside myself and my own needs and be mindful of others who have been marginalized, excluded, and are in need and to put them before myself."

At the heart of Christ-like servant leadership is a sense of humility to live in the image and likeness of Christ. St. Ed's theme, "Go and Do Likewise" is a reminder to guide our community toward working together to share the love of God with the world. "It's always helpful for our students to go outside of the environments they are accustomed to in order to help those around them," says Ms. White. "It's important for people to recognize the face of Christ in others who they don't typically encounter. Our theme this year provides a catalyst for our students to step outside themselves to help those around them."