The Catholic Church’s social justice teachings encourage us to treat everyone fairly, just as we wish to be treated and to value human dignity and the common good. 

At first, I did not really know what it truly meant to have social awareness until I researched it. I learned that it is the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds and cultures. 

This past school year I got the opportunity to serve at Easter Seals Preschool as part of my theology class. I had to learn that not everyone needed the same type of help and that every child was completely different and each had their own strengths and needs. I was very nervous at first but after going back every week I began to love it and I always looked forward to going. I began to build wonderful relationships with the children and miss them greatly. 

During my second semester, I was assigned to CARTI for my service site. CARTI is a cancer center where people can go to get blood work and cancer treatments as well as other services. Going from Easter Seals to CARTI was a huge adjustment but I grew to love it and enjoyed every moment. Being able to go serve two completely different service sites opened my eyes to what is happening around me within different populations that I would have otherwise never experienced. Being able to have God in my life helped me with these two service sites, as I was scared and did not know what I was doing. I was able to see how the struggles the patients at CARTI and the children at Easter Seals were going through are affecting them each personally. 

Going to CARTI was a blessing to me. When I was younger my grandfather had cancer and he battled it for several years and went to CARTI to get treatments. Being able to serve at CARTI  has been a great opportunity to give back to the people who put so much time and effort into trying to help my grandfather. 

Helping and serving others has always been something I enjoy and have been passionate about. I always try to bring light to those around me and a smile to others who may be down. Through serving others I have been able to be more confident in working in a variety of settings and with a variety of people. Rather it be a big or small impact, every little thing matters and I truly believe that God has helped me realize this. This past school year I felt my faith get stronger and I am very grateful for that as I am someone who has struggled in her faith her whole life. Being able to serve others has shown me a way that we can bring God into our daily lives and share him with others around us. 

Sarah Beth Thomas is a senior at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock. St. Anne Church in North Little Rock is her home parish.

As a high school student, I can identify with my fellow students who have challenges in their lives that can block us from being strong in our faith. But little things like simple prayers, going to Mass, being involved in a prayer group or volunteering keeps me grounded in the Church’s teachings.

I was raised in a Catholic household and have always been involved in church and youth groups. This has taught me the importance of praying and having God present in my life. As I was thinking about what to write, I thought about how often I say little prayers throughout the day. Like before a test, I ask God to be with me and help me pass, even though I do not always make the grade I want, or how I ask God to help my friend today because they might be struggling.

I have realized that prayers have such a big impact on me, even if it takes me a few seconds to say. The littlest prayers can have the biggest impact.

I keep my faith strong by attending church every weekend and being a part of youth groups. I attend a youth group called YoungLife every Monday. One of the leaders will choose a story from the Bible to read and talk to us about it. They give us the message and discuss how to bring it into our daily lives. I feel like this helps me because not only am I getting to be social, but I am also getting to know more about God and everything he has done for us. This allows me to give God more praise and not assume things about others from what I see on the outside.

I used to be the person to judge others, and when I got closer to God, I realized that people could be struggling. When you talk to them and get to know them, then you can actually be there for them and understand them better. This gave me a whole new perspective on how I treat others because I know I would never want to be judged by what people see on the outside. So, I do not want to do that to others. I always try to remember the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).

Going to church every weekend is not what I always look forward to, but afterward I always feel like I get a wonderful message out of it, especially the homily. I think about how to put the Church’s teachings into my daily life.

After church, my parents and I discuss the homily and talk about what we felt it meant to us personally. I feel that doing this with people I trust helps me grow in my faith because they can be there beside me the whole time.

I also feel that doing Junior Service at my school has helped me grow stronger in my faith because I am helping others. Giving time and energy to someone’s aid could change their whole day. You never know what someone is going through, and being able to help, even for an hour, can lift a weight off their shoulders.

I know that even the little stuff that I help with has a huge impact on them and that is what keeps me motivated and wanting to return. I am only a junior in high school, and my faith life is not as strong as I wish it would be, but I know that as long as I keep God first, I will only grow closer to him.

Sarah Beth Thomas is a junior at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock. St. Anne Church in North Little Rock is her home parish.