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When Sophia saw the homeless population in Chicago, she knew they needed help. The first grader at Mary Immaculate Catholic School asked to pray for the homeless in Mrs. Carol Benevento’s religion class. “She was telling our class about the homeless people she saw there who had evidently made a big impact on her,” Mrs. Benevento explained. It was a unique teachable moment. She was able to help Sophia and the rest of the young class see how they could make an impact, “I really wanted to encourage that moment of, ‘Is there something we can do to help?’ and respond, ‘Yes, there is’.”
Catholic Schools have the freedom and flexibility in their curriculum to discuss topics such as service and social justice with their students in the context of the Catholic Faith. At Mary Immaculate, discussions are often taken one step further from the classroom to being put into practice by the entire school community. An all-school non-uniform day was recently held to raise money for the Missionaries of Charity in Chicago, an order of Sisters started by St. Teresa of Calcutta. The school raised $200 for the Sisters and their mission to serve the poorest of the poor.
Sophia was proud to help the homeless with prayers and money. And she is ready to do more! She asked Mrs. Benevento, “There are other big cities. Could we help them, too?” A smiling Mrs. Benevento is glad to see her young students have the hearts to serve at such a young age, “I have very generous-minded students.”
To learn more about Mary Immaculate Catholic School and opportunities for your child, contact Principal Ann Gray by phone (660) 665-1006 or by email ann.gray@miparish.org.
Join us for an open house on Sunday, January 27th after the 9:00 a.m. Mass to kick off Catholic Schools Week!
What Does Catholic Education Mean to You?
Mrs. Benevento - “It means a lot! Working with these kids is one of God’s great blessings! I pray, all the time, the Holy Spirit is guiding my work here.”
What do you like about Mary Immaculate?
Sophia - “The nice people.”
Pictured are Sophia (1st Grade) and her sister Frida (8th grade) during the Missionaries of Charity non-uniform day.