Campus Ministry » Companions Program
Companions Program
Domestic & International Service Immersions
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. Paul Cumbo '97
Cumbo@canisiushigh.org
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.
2009-2010 COMPANIONS TRIPS FINALIZED
The fourth year of our program promises to be an exciting one. 44 students are registered for four trips in 2010. Thanks to the support of dedicated faculty, we were able to provide a space for every student who applied this year.
Habitat for Humanity of Erie, Pennsylvania is the last destination for the summer of 2010, where a group will work in August on housing and community development projects. Led by Mr. Adam Baber'01 and Mr. Tom Coppola ’01,and Mrs. Kristine Coppola, the group includes Peter Roehmholdt'10, Max Roehmholdt'11, Jeffrey Ahrens'11, Alex Barilec'11, Adam Gannon'11, Patrick Neureuter'11, Alex Caballero'11, Jack Chambers'11, Brenden Fiore'11, Thomas Fiorica'11, Matthew Ieraci'11, Gordon Lyons'11,
RECENT AND UPCOMING COMPANIONS IMMERSION TRIPS
Gulf Port, Alabama
Spring Break, 2010
San Antonio,Texas
Spring Break 2010
Newburgh, New York
Spring Break 2010
(see video)
Erie, Pennsylvania
August 2010
Buffalo, New York
June 2010 (see video)
Compañeros
July 2009
Erie, Pennsylvania
June 14-20 2009
(see video)
Laredo, Texas
April 7-20 2009
Newburgh, New York
April 5-11 2009
CompañerosJuly 2008
Compañeros
March 2008
Newburgh, New York
March 16-22, 2008
(see video)
Laredo, Texas
July, 2007
(see video)
Newburgh, New York
June, 2007 (see video)
Taos, New Mexico
April, 2006
(see powerpoint)
Camden, New Jersey
March 2005
Camden, New Jersey
June 2004 (see video)
More Info
Mr. Fitzgerald visits Habitat Buffalo Immersion'10
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More Info
Habitat Director Dave Zablotny'72 poses with the Buffalo Immersion '10 group
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- Companions Easter 2010 Immersion Trips Video
- Youtube video of Buffalo Immersion 2010
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