Catholic volunteer programs

Photo courtesy of Catholic Volunteer Network. I joined the Jesuit Volunteer Elder Corps at 68—and never looked back. Helen Donnelly Goehring. Will Work for Free: Faith-based programs create a culture of service amid economic crisis.

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Then reload this page and you'll be set up for commenting. Update your profile. Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more. Most popular. Catholic leaders need to start listening to those who have left religion behind.

What makes for good liturgical music? Thomas Aquinas has 3 criteria for what works at Mass. Director of Digital Presence. Director of Elementary Faith Development. If you would like to volunteer with another organization full-time, you may wish to contact Catholic Volunteer Network at or visit its web site at www.

Catholic Volunteer Network is an excellent resource that helps to connect prospective volunteers or lay missioners with Christian faith-based member volunteer programs that place individuals into full-time service opportunities for periods of time ranging from one week to three years or longer. The Response Directory, available online and in hard copy, has information about nearly volunteer programs. The Volunteer Profile allows the Catholic Volunteer Network to match potential volunteers with programs by collecting a variety of information from the interested volunteer into a Volunteer Profile.

The Volunteer Profile can be completed on their website or by phone. Once completed, the Catholic Volunteer Network distributes the Volunteer Profile to its member network of volunteer programs. These programs will then compare the individual's experience, education and interests against their program's need. If a match or fit exists, the program will contact the individual directly.

If you are interested in volunteering part-time within your diocese, please contact your local diocesan director. In addition, there are many ways to get involved with CRS' mission right in your own community. Please visit the Get Involved section of our website for more information about getting involved in our programs and activities. I will always remember him as a very hard worker. He is a man who is really dedicated to helping people.

When his two-years of service at the Mutomo Mission Hospital came to an end, Dr. Catena decided to extend his missionary work. He moved to Nairobi and volunteered at St. In , Dr. Today he is the medical director and surgeon.

As a medical volunteer in Sudan, Dr. Catena and his team encounter endless challenges — limited access to electricity, running water, and essential medical equipment. They also have deadly threats of violence. Despite these challenges, Dr. Catena remains in Sudan. When asked why a doctor educated in one of the top medical schools in the United States chooses to live under these challenging circumstances Tom responds:.

My decision to stay here was a simple one. As the only doctor at the only major hospital in the Nuba Mountains, I could not leave in good conscience. Also, as a lay missionary, I felt it was very important to show the presence of the Church in this time of need — that the Church does not abandon her people when a crisis arises.

Catena is a native of Amsterdam, New York. He grew up as part of a large, Italian-American family, with six brothers and sisters. Tom studied at Brown University where he earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering.

While at Brown, he played college football and was an all-America, along with his long-time friend Ken Carlson pictured below. Following his time at Brown, Dr. Catena worked toward his medical doctorate at Duke University on a U.

Navy scholarship. Catena inspires many people, but who inspires him? We had the chance to ask him, and this was his reply:. Growing up when I did, in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a huge inspiration to my entire generation. When we were growing up, we always had this idea that saints were people who lived years ago, they were out of touch, and that they were people who were above everybody else. But here was somebody, a sort of very quiet, humble person, who was living in our day and age.

She was doing very simple things, but at the same time, very incredible things, and she was a tremendous inspiration for me, as she was for so many other people. I think it was so important to have somebody, a contemporary person, a Catholic person, in modern day, who was living the Gospel life that we could relate to very well. When Dr. Everyone is in search of happiness. Everybody is in search of fulfillment. I think if you really want fulfillment in this life, what I would suggest to you is go and get rid of everything you have.

Sell everything you have. Get rid of all of your baggage and go live a life of full and total service to other people. I think if you do that, you will find that the rewards are incredible. You will find that you have fulfillment more than you could ever have imagined. So I throw that challenge out to you. In honor of his unrelenting dedication and commitment to serving the most vulnerable, his willingness to place the lives of others before his own, and his rekindling of faith in humanity, Dr.

The Aurora Prize is granted by the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative in honor and memory of those whose lives were lost in the Armenian Genocide, on behalf of the survivors, and in gratitude to their saviors. The initiative aims to empower modern-day saviors who offer hope to those in desperate need, and therefore continuing the cycle of generosity and giving. As we leave here, let us take this spirit of shared humanity and do a little of the courageous work we have witnessed here tonight.

CMMB believes in a world in which every human life is valued, and health and human dignity are shared by all. Sadly, this is not the world we live in — yet. Volunteers can help us get closer! We are always looking for qualified and committed individuals to join us as we work to deliver healthier lives worldwide. We are looking for medical and programmatic volunteers.

Volunteers in clinical roles work directly with hospital leadership and clinical staff on health service delivery, capacity building, and various outreach projects within the community setting to reach those who lack access to healthcare.

They receive exposure to a broad base of global health and community development initiatives and are able to use their knowledge and skills to help improve the lives of vulnerable women, children, and communities.

Our volunteer opportunities are skills based and demand driven. We conduct a needs assessment in the countries where we work to identify the human resource skills required on the ground. Once these needs are identified, we begin recruiting and screening possible candidates. If you or someone you know has the qualifications, skills, and inclination to fill a need in one of our country offices , please start by completing or sharing the online application.

CMMB staff reviews all applications and if if your background and skill are a good fit, they will schedule a personal interview. If accepted, all international volunteers also participate in a 3-day pre-departure orientation in New York City.

Each international volunteer who serves six months or longer in the field receives a round-trip ticket to their placement site, housing, a monthly stipend, insurance coverage, storytelling and fundraising training, and the opportunity to contribute to vital community development initiatives for under-served populations while building a longstanding legacy for the community.

All volunteers are required to fundraise to help offset the cost of their experience, and cover travel costs to and from the pre-departure orientation in NYC. Fundraising tools and training are provided by CMMB. Domestic e. New York City internships volunteers do not have to meet the international age, licensure, or financial contribution requirements, and do not receive program benefits outlined above.

We encourage New York based undergraduate and graduate students to apply for these domestic opportunities.

We are seeking doctors, surgeons, dentists, specialists, and physician assistants, 21 years of age and over, who can serve for a minimum of six months. You will work directly with hospital leadership and clinical staff on health service delivery, capacity building, and various outreach projects within the community setting.

We are looking for public health professionals who are 21 years and older and can serve for a minimum of six months in the following public health volunteer positions:. One of the greatest challenges in delivering quality healthcare is the chronic shortage of health workers, and this is where I hope I can positively contribute.

Apply to become an international Catholic volunteer today. We are committed to supporting medical mission trips to improve the quality of healthcare services provided to under-served communities. CMMB works hard to find highly qualified healthcare professionals, and to match their skills with the needs of our partner health facilities to help maximize their impact. For example, in September , three doctors traveled to Mwandi, Zambia as part of an eight-day medical mission trip committed to:.

One of the members of the medical mission team was Dr. Helene Calvet. Helene Calvet, an experienced physician, specialized in infectious diseases, is our first clinical mentor. She visited Mwandi Mission Hospital for a second time in March and will continue serving both remotely and on annual or biannual visits. I look forward to continuing the relationships established during this first trip, and to contribute, however I can, to healthier lives worldwide.

Helene Calvet, Infectious disease specialist. Clinical mentors are healthcare professionals who can commit to repeat visits to the same healthcare facility over. These volunteers will forge unique partnerships with specific facilities, to offer ongoing support, in person and remotely.

Clinical mentors build long-term relationships with local health professionals to increase technical capacity and ensure sustainable impact.

Helene Calvet is a clinical mentor who is supporting Mwandi Mission Hospital and the health professionals and volunteers in the communities in Mwandi, Zambia. Interested in being part of a medical mission team or becoming a clinical mentor? Our volunteers are some of our most valuable resources. They are our hands, feet, and hearts on the ground. As Mother Teresa knew well, in service we also receive.

Our volunteers change lives, in profound ways — they help provide better health care, they help build the capacity of people and institutions, and they foster new hopes and dreams among those they serve. But, in their service our volunteers are also changed. In addition to the regular stories shared by our volunteers straight from the field , we send out a biannual publication that highlights the amazing work of interns, field, and corporate volunteers.

Healthier Lives, Together 1. Healthier Lives, Together 2. We hope she will come back one day. These sentiments were shared by all those, both staff and patients alike, who were lucky enough to meet Laura.

About Brynn Macaulay. Her work is very valuable to us and everyone in our community. Brynn Registered nurse and volunteer. Rachael Consoli. Peter explained that Dr. Consoli provided whatever care was needed, when it was needed. He said she was very open with patients, offering them counselling to help them come to terms with whatever diagnosis they were given.

She provided similar care to all the doctors and nurses on staff. He praised Consoli for her role in building capacity in the local staff.

She was constantly providing commentary as she treated patients, first making sure that they understood the illness before teaching them the necessary treatment. I am so inspired by the work she did here. She is my role model.