social justice | The Way of Wisdom

DePaul University’s Vincent and Louise House community is a “residential faith formation program” in which students “engage more fully in the Christian faith, community service, social justice, and stewardship.” Following the examples of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, members of the house learn about and take part in the spiritual practices necessary for putting faith into action. The article details the community service they perform, how their commitments to social justice and stewardship are carried out, and what effect these activities have on the students. The program’s goal is to transform students, their worldview, and their perspective on their vocation within the tradition of Vincent and Louise. Students’ own words on the value of their experience in the house are included.

“Saint Vincent and Saint Louise, Catholic to the Core: Spiritual Praxis as the Foundation for Social Change” is an article published in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 28, Issue 2, Article 24 (2008) available at: https://www.via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol28/iss2/24

by Katie Brick

“Hammer and a Nail” by the Indigo Girls came through my car radio this weekend. I was whisked back to doing community service – or thinking about doing service – in my 20s. And then I thought about theme songs from various DePaul Service Immersion Trips I’ve been on.

With new Spring Service Immersions just around the corner, and DCSA and Loop Community Service happening all the time I’d like to share my top 5 songs about service and invite YOU to add to the list via the comments!

In no particular order (and mostly stuck in a pop groove so do add hip hop, metal, show tunes, whatever):

“Hammer and Nail” by the Indigo Girls – fresh as a spring breeze while you’re painting on a service site.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTI2GGNFR_U&w=420&h=315]

“A distant nation my community
A street person my responsibility
If I have a care in the world I have a gift to bring.”

“Blessed to Be A Witness” by Ben Harper – Introduced to this one by students on a service trip to the slums of Guayaquil, Ecuador, where we encountered families living on garbage dumps, tens of thousands of people living in shacks with no running water, and Jenny, a local activist who looked everyone in the eye and demanded, “¿Por qué estás aquí?” (Why are you here?).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EK10z0y_1k&w=560&h=315]

“Only by the grace of God go I.
I am blessed to be a witness.”

“What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye – I remember this from being a kid and its call to action seems just as timely now with #BlackLivesMatter, continuing war, and fears putting us at odds with compassion and solidarity. You have to have an interest in ‘What’s goin’ on’ to get involved.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M&w=420&h=315]

“Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying.”

“You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals – My older brother, whose life is incredibly difficult right now and all about service, recently put this on a mix for me. It’s catchy.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc6jd9P1X6w&w=560&h=315]

“Wake up kids
We’ve got the dreamers disease.”

“Hands” by Jewel. Yes, Jewel. It’s in the same genre as “Hammer and Nail,” granted – so share your own genres in the comments, and enjoy this in the meantime.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfsS3pIDBfw&w=420&h=315]

“We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s mind
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s heart”

Katie Brick is the Director of the Office of Religious Diversity at DePaul University.