As a young adult, balancing self-care, family, schoolwork and my faith can be quite the challenge. We often meet at Angela’s Villa for brunch with fellow young adults and Sister Norma Raupple. This allows me to make specific time for faith sharing. The amazing community that exists at Angela’s makes brunch so enjoyable.
At our most recent brunch we celebrated spring birthdays, graduations and my acceptance to the college I had been praying to be accepted to. We ate my favorite egg casserole, the same one Sister Norma made the first time I came to brunch.
In addition to celebrating, we welcomed some new guests to Angela’s Villa! It was an honor to discuss all the good the ministry does, give them a tour of the house, and discuss how they would want to volunteer this summer.
Each summer the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown offer the Summer Service Learning Program. It allows students (mainly college but also some experienced high schoolers) to volunteer at several of the Sisters' ministries. The ministries benefit from the help, the ideas and energy of the young people, and the participants build their experience and resumes while making the lives of many local people better.
Participating in the Summer Service Learning Program is how I first realized my love for volunteering and helping others. I was 15 the first summer I began and every summer after that I knew that I would be spending that time with the Sisters. Through this program I began to truly understand this quote from St. Angela: “Reflect that in reality you have a greater need to serve the poor than they have of your service.”
After the past years volunteering with the Sisters, I know that I will always need that in my life. It has allowed me to grow and find my true calling.
Before volunteering, I had planned to go to business school with the hope to open a bakery. After volunteering, I realized that I cared so much about the well being of others. So much so that I wanted to spend the rest of my life ensuring that those around me are supported and taken care of. I now plan to major in sociology, with hopes of running again for elected office. Without the experience I gained, I would not have gotten where I am today.
Next fall I'll be attending the American University in Washington, D.C. I was so grateful to have a recommendation written by an Ursuline Sister, as well as all the encouragement and love they gave me through the process of transferring. This past year went incredibly differently than I had hoped, but through the whole thing I had the Sisters' and the Ministries' unwavering support.
I hope that everyone can belong to a community such as this one. It has truly given me so much opportunity and self-confidence. If you are still looking for your community, consider volunteering for the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown ministries. The first time I volunteered I hadn’t planned to start coming on a regular basis, but here I am. I am so happy I went again. You won’t ever regret serving others.