Catholic Social Teaching Hours

To effectively live out Christ’s Mandatum to love one another through service and by offering our lives as living sacrifices and as a gift to others, especially to the poor, elderly, sick and vulnerable, this program is designed to actively integrate the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching learned in the St. Pius X theology curriculum into the lived experience of students and their families. 

With the intent of fostering a culture of generosity and service of time, talent, and treasure in the St. Pius X community and in the local community at large, this service program revolves around the central Catholic Social Teaching theme of acknowledging the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Every human life, from conception to natural death, is created in the Imago Dei, the image and likeness of God, and therefore possesses a unique and inherent dignity which must be upheld and protected. Acts of service that work to honor, uplift, and care for the experience of each human being and their social setting lays the foundation for the hours SPX students will be expected to attain.

• Each student will be responsible for completing a total of ten hours of service based on the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching each academic year, with five hours due before the end of each semester. 
  • Fall Deadline: December 10, 2026
  • Spring Deadline:
    • Seniors: April 13, 2027
    • Freshman-Juniors: May 5, 2027
• These hours will be logged digitally by each student on a platform provided by the Campus Ministry Department.
• Students must acquire a verification from their supervisor of their service activities to submit along with their hours.
• Students may complete some of their hours each academic year by volunteering with the following St. Pius X campus activities and initiatives:
  • Holiday Marketplace 
  • Heritage Homecoming 
  • After School Recycling Program
• Students will receive a pass/fail grade on their transcript based off of their successful completion of their 10 hours of service.
• Students will complete a reflection paper in their theology classes before the end of the second semester, engaging in theological reflection on their service experience to integrate their service with their theology curriculum.
• **Failure to meet the spring deadline will result in an extra five accountability hours in addition to finishing the original 10 hour requirement. The student will be contacted by Campus Ministry and will be responsible for doing Credit Recovery during the summer to make up for all missed hours.

With the intent of fostering a culture of generosity and service of time, talent, and treasure in the St. Pius X community and in the local community at large, this service program revolves around the central Catholic Social Teaching theme of acknowledging the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Every human life, from conception to natural death, is created in the Imago Dei, the image and likeness of God, and therefore possesses a unique and inherent dignity which must be upheld and protected. Acts of service that work to honor, uplift, and care for the experience of each human being and their social setting lays the foundation for the hours SPX students will be expected to attain.

In light of the Catholic Social Teaching Theme Rights and Responsibilities, which states that every human being possesses certain rights and has a shared responsibility to live and act for the good of their families, friends and communities, there are several volunteer and service activities that will not be counted for credit or service hours. There are certain obligations we have to our families and communities which we strive to live out as part of our normal daily lives, including, but not limited to:

• Babysitting siblings or spending time with grandparents
• Household chores
• Volunteering at sporting events or regular on-campus activities at St. Pius X which are not geared towards service
• Liturgical ministry at local parishes (altar serving, lectoring, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, etc.).

The Approved Organizations Chart breaks down the remaining five themes with examples of how students can participate fully in Christ’s calling to actively love and serve those around us. The following is a list of organizations that fit the requirements. Students are allowed to serve with organizations not listed with the approval of Campus Ministry.