For many college students, spring break means relaxing travel or rest. But this year, a group of missionaries from FOCUS Missionaries in Northern Michigan chose something different — spending their break in service with Catholic Charities of Denver.
The group of 13 missionaries traveled to Colorado to dedicate a week to prayer, community and serving neighbors across several ministries.
Throughout the week, they stepped into many corners of the organization’s work. At Samaritan House, the missionaries helped organize the warehouse, sorting and preparing supplies that support the thousands of individuals and families who come through the doors each year. What might seem like simple tasks—stacking, sorting and moving items—play a critical role in making sure shelters run smoothly and guests receive the essentials they need.
At Marisol Family’s St. Pius location, the group assisted with diaper distribution, helping parents access basic necessities that can make a big difference for young families navigating difficult circumstances. The missionaries shared that they encountered many children while volunteering there, which made the diaper distribution especially memorable. Interacting with the kids added a sense of joy to the day and made the experience of helping families pick up diapers even more meaningful.
They also spent time at Marisol Health assembling layettes—bundles filled with baby essentials for new and expecting mothers. At the end of their volunteer work, they spent time praying in the Marisol Health prayer garden.
Their last visit was to Marian Plaza, a Catholic Charities Housing community for residents age 55 and older. There, they helped clean up community van as well as the grounds and spent time with residents, offering technology assistance—showing them how to better use their phones, computers and other devices to stay connected with family and the world around them. The visit ended on a joyful note as the group sang together, filling the building with music and laughter.
“I know they have to leave to go back home, but we never wanted them to. It was so nice to have them around,” shared Marian Plaza resident, Pat Barnes.
While the missionaries came to serve, they also found themselves deeply impacted by the people they encountered.
Angela, one of the missionaries, reflected on the experience:
“As I speak for my group—13 of us total—I can say that all of us experienced only good from the Catholic Charities staff while in Denver,” she said.
The trip was structured around service and reflection. The missionaries committed to a phone fast during the week and spent time each day in prayer, while sharing meals together in the evenings.
“Spending an entire week on a phone fast, extended daily prayer, sharing evening meals and having all our focus on the poor—you know it’s going to be a good week,” Angela said.
For many in the group, some of the most meaningful moments came from learning about the different ministries and meeting the people behind them.
“Some of the best days were the days we got to know the individual missions at various Catholic Charities locations, like being in the warehouse with Miss D and learning about Marisol Clinic,” Angela said. “This week was a blessing for me personally and for the students that came with.”
By the end of the week, the missionaries had contributed to several ministries while gaining a deeper understanding of the work happening across Catholic Charities—work they were able to support, even if only for a few days of their spring break.
The Catholic Social Teaching principle Solidarity teaches that we are one human family. By standing with our neighbors in times of struggle, we recognize our shared responsibility to support one another and work toward a more compassionate world.