Campus Ministry

COMPANIONS MISSION STATEMENT

"The Companions Program at Canisius High School offers the student an opportunity to respond to the Ignatian call to service. He is invited to grow in self-knowledge through an experience of service to and solidarity with the marginalized. A personal encounter with communities and individuals bearing the weight of poverty, weakness, and financial dependence challenges a young man to understand these conditions while acknowledging the poverty implicit in his own weaknesses, shortcomings, and dependence. Likewise, the companionship of this encounter affirms the goodness and potential implicit in his strengths. Drawing upon four central components of community, spirituality, justice, and simple living, Companions engages the Gospel message while challenging the student to embrace struggle and discomfort in an unfamiliar context. The program seeks to foster an ongoing desire to serve the needs of the other, coupled with a lifelong commitment to justice."

Structured philosophically upon the foundations of the Jesuit Volunteers, the Companions program of immersion trips builds upon the spiritual and ethical message of the Kairos retreat. Companions is not any one trip, but rather an Ignatian service learning curriculum that can be applied to various destinations and programs.

Contact:

Mr. Christopher Pitek '00, Director of Student Formation Programs
Mr. Paul Cumbo '97

From Company Magazine:

Company is an important Jesuit word. St. Ignatius strongly wanted his group to be known as the Company of Jesus, recalling both his own military background and the military metaphor for following Christ in the struggle of good against evil. And while the Jesuit order was called Societas in Latin (thus 'society' in English), the equivalent of company was retained in many European vernaculars. A company is not a casual association, but a group of persons joined in common work or purpose or achievement. The root of company refers to persons who share bread -- a powerful ancient symbol of life; companions are persons whose lives intertwine, whose lives depend upon one another. In the American Jesuit experience, this company reaches beyond the Society of Jesus, even beyond the collaborators in Jesuit ministry. It includes students and alumni, parishioners and retreatants; it includes persons who see our pictures and read our words and hear our voices and our music. And it includes the generous friends who are interested in all Jesuit ministries and who support them.

2008-2009 COMPANIONS TRIPS FINALIZED

The third year of our program promises to be an exciting one. 44 students are registered for four trips in 2009. Thanks to the support of dedicated faculty, we were able to provide a space for every student who applied this year.

•    Heading to Newburgh, New York in April are: Colin Boardway ’09, Colin Bogdan '10, Sam Cohen ’10, Jake Dillabaugh ’10, Sean Kirby ’10, Dave McCabe ’10, Conor McHugh ’10, Josh Riefler ’10, Luke Walkow ’10, Sean Whalen ’09, Ms. Staci Shick, and Mr. Ron Ahrens ’91. The Newburgh group will stay at a Jesuit retreat house near West Point and work with Habitat for Humanity on housing programs in downtown Newburgh. One of the poorest urban areas outside of New York City, Newburgh is home to a largely immigrant population.

•    Fourteen students and three faculty will travel to Laredo, Texas in April, also to work with Habitat for Humanity among a largely immigrant population along the border with Mexico. The group consists of: Oliver Barnett ’10, Brian Beyer'10, Colin Burns ’10, Aaron Deutschman ’10, Ryan Fiust-Klink ’10, Matthew Gura ’10, Max Kilb ’10, Mike Lempko ’10, Christian McKernon ’10, Nathan Miller ’10, Max Millholland ’10, Tim Piscatelli ’10, Brian Raab ’09, Matt Wischerath ’10, Mr. Justin Suita, Mr. Joe Zera ’01, and Mr. Paul Cumbo ’97.

•    Habitat for Humanity of Erie, Pennsylvania is our new site for 2009, where a group will work in June on housing and community development projects. Led by Mr. Ron Ahrens ’91, and Mr. Tom Coppola ’01, and Max Christ '09., the group of rising seniors includes Andrew Genco ’10, Richie Grey ’10, Connor Harvey ’10, Patrick Niceforo ’10, Anthony Notaro ’10, Peter Roehmholdt ’10, Andrew Samer ’10, Anthony Vetrano ’10, Alexander Vilardo ’10, Casey Anderson '10,Ryan Burkard '10, Sam Bankowski '10, Alex Reynolds'10.

•    Eleven students and two faculty leaders will return to the Dominican Republic for a 23-day immersion in July and August on a project to be determined in January. The students will live with host families in a mountain village for two and a half weeks, then work the final week with the Crossroads mission center on the north coast. The group includes: Zach Deibel ’10, Nolan Fenzl ’10, Dillon Insalaco ’10, Ian Kamery ’10, Brett Notarius ’10, Sean O’Neill ’10, John Reiser ’10, Tim Richards ’10, Andrew Sauvageau ’10, Jimmy Tatar ’10, Cameron Walsh ’10, Mr. Chris Pitek ’00, and Mr. Paul Cumbo ’97. Joining the group for the final week will be Mr. Rudel Simon and Mr. Adam Baber ’01.

RECENT AND UPCOMING COMPANIONS IMMERSION TRIPS

Gulf Port, Alabama
Spring Break, 2010

San Antonio & Laredo, Texas
Spring Break 2010

Newburgh, New York
Spring Break 2010

Erie, Pennsylvania
August 2010

Buffalo, New York
Summer 2010

Compañeros
July 2009

Erie, Pennsylvania
June 14-20 2009
(see video)

Laredo, Texas
April 7-20 2009

Newburgh, New York
April 5-11 2009

Compañeros
July 2008

Compañeros
March 2008

Newburgh, New York
March 16-22, 2008
(see video)

Laredo, Texas
July, 2007
(see video)

Newburgh, New York
June, 2007