Volunteerism as a Way to Build Bridges

Last updated on: January 10, 2018 at 10:32 am by Jeannine Pitas

Volunteerism as a Way to Build Bridges 2018-01-10T10:32:35-05:00 Jeannine Pitas

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Over the past year at least, we’ve heard plenty of discourse about the divisions plaguing our country. While government policies such as the end of the DACA and TPS programs threaten to break up families by deporting people for whom the US is the only home they’ve known, families of US citizens are divided by politics and ideology, to the point that people’s differences impede connection and conversation. I’m sure that many readers of this blog found the holidays difficult.

To a certain extent this was true for me. My parents are staunch Trump supporters who believe that undocumented migrants deserve to be sent back to their home countries, who deny climate change, and who do not see any major structural injustices in our current economic system. I strongly disagree with them on those three points and many others.

But when I look a little more deeply, I still have much more in common with them than not. And perhaps the biggest irony is that my current political views stem directly from the way in which I was raised.

For as long as I can remember, civic engagement and volunteerism have been a major part of my mother’s life. Though shy and introverted by nature, she is truly a “joiner.” When I was a child, she was an active volunteer in my Catholic school and parish – monitoring lunches, working Bingo, and volunteering for the Respect Life Committee. As a preteen I accompanied her on the National Life Chain. Then, when I was a teenager, she got involved in Compeer, an organization that pairs volunteers up with people diagnosed with mental illness. I still remember waiting for four hours for her as she completed an in-depth interview that ultimately paired her up with someone who is to this day a dear friend. In fact, they have both nearly forgotten that they met through the organization.

My mother’s volunteer activities increased once I went away to college. She volunteered as a reader for the blind and a receptionist at a local nonprofit that houses homeless veterans while taking a paid position as a teacher’s aid in a day care facility. Then, she and my father decided to alleviate their empty nest syndrome by becoming host parents for an array of foreign exchange students from such different countries as France, Brazil, China and Pakistan.

This idea of volunteerism as important and worthwhile is probably one of the biggest impacts they’ve had on me, one that I began in childhood and have carried with me into adult life. And it is one that I would urge all of you to follow.

There are many reasons to be critical of volunteerism. One commonly heard argument is that it follows a charity model rather than a justice model – we feed the poor without asking why they are poor. Another criticism – made by those who accept the charity model as the best way forward – is that it is not as effective as other forms of charity, that it might be better to work harder and donate money to stop malaria in sub-Saharan Africa than to invest time into volunteering at your local hospital. A cynical – and unfortunately sometimes true – argument is that the warm glow one feels when volunteering can actually worsen the very situation we are trying to help; the would-be do-gooder enjoys a rush of positive emotions while remaining blissfully unaware of the damage they are doing (this is often the case with short-term mission trips or “voluntourism.”

But, while bearing these criticisms in mind, I would say that volunteering is one of the best things we can do to build strong communities, traverse ideological, religious, and cultural differences, and build bridges of empathy and understanding.

While living in Toronto from 2008 through 2015, I got superficially involved in an activist movement bent on exposing and criticizing the environmental damage and human rights abuses caused by Canadian mining companies abroad – particularly in the global South. I got more seriously involved with volunteering at a mental health hospital, where for five and a half years I co-facilitated a creative writing group for inpatients (some of them long-term), outpatients, and community members – often homeless – who were just looking for a diversion on a Wednesday night.

Every week we would gather, offer a topic or writing prompt, and see what people wrote. We tried to keep the environment as open and non-hierarchical as possible, breaking down distinctions between patients, volunteers, and one patient who eventually became a volunteer! We held readings and parties in the library, inviting outsiders to come in. For one year we ran a blog with writing from the group. For eight years we shared laughter, tears, struggles and joys through our stories; we discussed religion, politics, illness, life, death and love.

Over the years, many people said they appreciated the community that was formed. Sometimes, people who hadn’t picked up a pen in years – after an initial wariness and question of “You’re not going to check our spelling, right?” would write something beautiful, experiencing the joy that comes with telling a story. Some people with severe diagnoses who’d been in the hospital for years looked forward to the group as a change of pace in a monotonous day, a chance to unwind, laugh, and enjoy the company of others.

No, we weren’t “saving the world” in any sense. I will be the first to admit that volunteering is selfish at its core, and, having participated for as long as I did, I got a heck of a lot out of it. I wrote poems and essays that I went on to publish; I escaped the isolating ivory tower of grad school to feel part of a wider world; I encountered new perspectives and met people I probably never would have spoken to otherwise; I learned skills that I continue to use in my current work, every day. Most important, I made some wonderful friends who are very dear to me today. As it turned out, one of them was a worker – in corporate social responsibility – for a controversial Canadian mining company. Learning of her work, I was initially nervous. Would our discussions grow heated? Would we find it hard to get along? Instead, talking to her, I realized that – even in our attitudes toward mining and environmentalism – we had much more in common than not. And I most likely never would have encountered her had I not signed up to volunteer for a cause that was much less controversial, yet nevertheless still worthy.

If you are one of the , if recent developments in the political sphere are making you throw up your hands and cry out, “What can I do?” I will offer a simple proposal: get out into your community and volunteer. Pope Francis has said our Church must be a “field hospital” for those in need, and there is room for the talents and skills of all. On its own, volunteering is not enough. On its own, it probably won’t radically alter the social structures that so many of us want to see changed. But it is better than many of the alternatives – getting into long debates on social media, or simply retreating into private life. Give it a chance. You might be surprised, as I was, at what you learn and whom you encounter.

Charity

Justice

volunteerism

Previous Post

January 7, 2018

Kill All (Catholic) Normies

Next Post

January 20, 2018 Revisiting an old post on contraception and NFP

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2019 A Consistent Ethic of Life Aaron Weldon Abortion absurdity Abuse Scandal Academics Adoption Advent Africa agreement/disagreement with Church teaching Alexander Schmemann Alexham Alterity America Amnesty International Anarchism angels Anglicanism Animals Annual Statistics Anthony Anxietas Apocalyptic Apophatic Appalachia Aquinas Art Atheism Atonement Augustine Authority Baptism Beauty Bible biblical criticism biblical scholarship Bioethics Bishops Black Catholics Black Theology Blackadder Blogs Books Breastfeeding Brett Salkeld Buddhism Bush administration Byzantine Catholic Calvinism Canada Canon Law Capital Punishment Capitalism Caryll Houselander Catholic Blog Awards Catholic Blogging Catholic League Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Worker Movement Catholicity CFL Charity Children Chris West Christ and Culture Christian Democracy Christian Unity Christmas Christology Church Church Doctrine Church History Climate Change Cohabitation Colbert Collegiality Communion Communism Comparative Theology Competition Conferences conscience conscience rights Consequentialism Consistent Life Ethics Consumerism Contraception Contrition Conversion Converts Coptic COVID-19 Creation Critical Thinking Cross Cuba Culture Culture of Death Culture of Life Darfur David Cruz-Uribe David Wheeler-Reed Death Death Penalty Democracy Demons Desert Fathers Devil Dialogue dignity Disability Disarmament discernment Discipleship discrimination Dissent Distributism Division Doctrine Domestic Church Dorothy Day Double Effect Doubt Down syndrome Driving Early Church Easter Eastern Churches Ecclesiology Economics Economy Ecumenism Education El Salvador Election Election 2020 Ellul Embryonic Stem Cell Research Empire Energy Enlighenment Environmentalism Ephraim Radner Episcopal Church epistemology Equality Eschatology Ethics Eucharist Europe Euthanasia Evangelization Evil Evolution Excommunication F.X. Durrwell Facism Facts Fair Trade Faith Family Fashion Feddie Feminism Feminist theology Fertility Fetal Rights Fiction Film Finances First Things flags Folk Religion Food Foreign Affairs Forgiveness Frank Sheed Free Speech Freedom gay & lesbian persons Genocide George W. Bush George Weigel Gerald L. Campbell Girard/Mimetic Theory Global Warming Globalization Gnosticism Good Friday Grace Gratitude Greed Grey Cup 2009 Guadalupe Guest Post Guest Posts Gun Control Gustave Martelet Habitat for Humanity Hans Urs von Balthasar Harry Potter Hate Speech Health Health Care Healthcare Heather King Hebrew Bible Henri de Lubac Henry Karlson Herbert McCabe Heresy HHS Mandate Controversy History Holidays Holiness Holy Spirit Homiletics Homily Homosexuality Hope Hospitality How Far Can We Go? How Far Can We Go? Human Person Human Rights Humanae Vitae Humility Humor Hunger Hunting Identity Idolatry Ignacio Ellacuría Imagination Immigration In Memoriam Income Inequality Inculturation Indigenous People Individualism Inklings Intellect Interdependence Internet Interpretation Interviews Introduction Iraq War Islam Israel Jain James Alison James Martin Jazz Jesus Christ Jews Joe Biden Joe Hargrave Johann Baptist Metz John Allen John Henry Newman John Paul II John the Baptist John XXIII Jonathan Josef Pieper Joseph (the husband of Mary) Joseph Bernardin Joseph Ratzinger Josh Brumfield Journals Joy Judgment Just War Justice Kari Lundgren Karl Rahner Katerina Ivanovna Kenya Keynes Kingdom of God Kyle R. Cupp Labor Language Latin America Law Leanne Ogasawara Legion of Christ Leisure Lent Liberalism Liberation Theology Libertarianism Libya Lies Life life & dignity & responsibility of the human person Literature Little Way Liturgical music Liturgical Year Liturgy Living Simply Living Wage Local Church Lombard Lord of the Rings Louis Dupre Love M.Z. Magic Magisterium Mark DeFrancisis Mark Gordon Marriage Martin Luther Martin Luther King Jr. Martyrdom Marxism Mary Masculinity Matt Talbot Matthew Fish Matthew Levering McCain Media Memorial Day Mennonites Mental Illness mercy Michael Iafrate Middle East militarism Miroslav Volf Mitt Romney Modesty Moral Theology Morality Mormonism Morning's Minion Mother Teresa Music Muslims Natalie Nate Wildermuth Nationalism Native Americans Nature Nazis Neuhaus New Evangelization New York City News NFP nihilism Nonviolence Not Abortion Nova's Ordo Nuclear weapons Nuns Obama Occult Old Age Opus Dei Ordination ordination of women original sin Orthodoxy Oscar Romero Other Voices Pacifism Palestine Palin Papacy Papal Peace Messages Papal Social Encyclicals Particular Affections Partisanship Patriotism Paul Paul Ryan Paul VI Peace Pentimento persecution Personalism Phantastes Philosophy PKD Planned Parenthood Pluralism Poetry Policraticus Politcal Apathy Politics Poll Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope John Paul II Pope Leo XIV Population Postcolonialsim Poverty Power Prayer Preaching Predictions Predictions for 2012 President Barack Obama priestly formation & discernment Pro-Life Progress Prophetic Witness Proportionalism Public Diplomacy Public Policy Question Quotes Rachel Maddow Racism Radical Catholic Mom Radical Catholicism Raymund Schwager Real Catholic TV Real Presence Reconciliation Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange Religion religious freedom Responsibility Ressourcement Resurrection Rick Garnett Ridiculous Crap You Never Thought You'd See Robert Barron Roe v. Wade Roman Curia Rome Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation History Sam Harris Sam Rocha Same-sex Marriage Saskatchewan Roughriders Satire School of the Americas Science Scripture Seamless Garment Second Vatican Council Seeing Sex sexual violence Sexuality Sia Sin social justice Social Security Socialism Society of Jesus Sofia Loves Wisdom Solidarity Sophia soteriology Soutenus Spirituality Sports St. Dismas St. Joseph Stanley Hauerwas Statistics Stimulus Suffering Sunday Reflections Supernatural Supreme Court Symbolism Syria Taxing Technology Terrorism The State The Tea Party The Trump Administration Theological Anthropology Theology Theotokos Thomas Merton Throwaway Culture Tim Muldoon Tim Riley Tim Tebow Time Titian Tolkien Torture Toys Trade Traditionalism Transgender Transportation Transubstantiation Trinity Truth TV U.S. Affairs Uncategorized Unions unity among people who disagree US Catholicism USCCB Usury Utilitarianism Utopia Valentine's Day Vatican Vatican II Veterans Vicarious Suffering Video Violence Virgin Mary Vocations Voluntary Associations Voluntary Poverty Voting Vox Nova vox nova blog war War and Peace War Strategy Wealth Weirdness Welfare state Women Women Priests Work Woundedness Youth

Select a Month June 2026 May 2025 February 2025 January 2025 July 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 July 2023 March 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 November 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many chapters are in the book of Revelation?

Select your answer to see how you score.

12 22 30 24