Living the Faith

Education at The High School of Saint Thomas More is not limited to the classroom. In the classroom, students learn the Catholic faith, but they must also live it. Living the Faith allows the students to put their faith into practice through volunteer work in the community. They encounter Jesus Christ not only as He is present in the scriptures and the liturgy but also as He is present in the elderly, the sick, and the poor. Living the Faith enables the students to carry their mission beyond the school's walls. It challenges them to learn about their community and its needs and arouses in them a sense of responsibility for spreading the Gospel.

There is a rich diversity of parish, school, and community service opportunities in the Champaign-Urbana area to accommodate the interests and gifts of all students. The basic guidelines for a good project are the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy traditional Catholic actions of service undertaken through direct person-to-person interaction. The students commit themselves to this service for a minimum of 150 hours over four years. Through Living the Faith the students move beyond self-centered concern to a Christ-like selflessness and other-centered love, developing an appreciation for the necessity of making a positive contribution for the common good in society. Most importantly, Living the Faith aids the students in developing their vocation to be disciples of Jesus Christ and witnesses of his love in the world.

All students are required to complete 150 hours of community service before graduation. Freshman are required to complete 20 hours, Sophomores 30 hours, Juniors and Seniors must complete 50 hours each year. All hours must be recorded on the Living the Faith forms located as a link on the website. If you have questions about certain service opportunities, please contact Father Lampitt at or (217) 352-7210 x110.

Please note, too, that written approval using the provided Living the Faith forms is required before a project is initiated. If a particular project is advertised as being "approved" this simply means that it has been deemed worthy. Nevertheless, written approval is still required for two reasons. One, to safeguard the student's interests and, two, because part of the approval process is for the student to ask himself "why is this a good service project" or "how will this project connect to a spiritual or corporal work of mercy."