Service Trips
Nicaragua Fabretto Children’s Organization
Since 2005, ten Canterbury students and two faculty chaperones have traveled to Nicaragua for ten days of service with Familia Padre Fabretto. Fabretto is an NGO whose mission is to empower underserved children and their families in Nicaragua to reach their full potential, improve their livelihoods, and take advantage of economic opportunity through education.
The Students play and work with Nicaraguan students served by the Fabretto Children's Organization. In the past the Canterbury group has worked construction and demolition, and started and planted a community garden, built a wall around the garden. Spending time with the children is a large part of the trip.
Lourdes, France Pilgrimage
The focus of this ten-day pilgrimage to Lourdes, France is to serve the sick and elderly, who travel to this famous Marian shrine seeking spiritual renewal and healing. Every August since 1994, Canterbury students work at the train station, baths, hospital, and grotto assisting maladies--the visiting sick--in completing their pilgrimage. In addition, Canterbury volunteers embark on their own pilgrimage through daily liturgy, prayer, and reflection. This trip is run by Our Lady’s Pilgrimage (OLP), a non-profit organization led by Hope Carter. Hope is a former parent, grandparent and President of Canterbury’s Board of Trustees.
Urban Plunge, Chicago, IL
The Urban Plunge experience provides a unique learning and immersion opportunity that explores issues of social justice through the lens of Catholic Social Teachings of peace, justice, and respect for human dignity and the environment.
Students spend time learning directly from community leaders and local activists about the challenges of poverty and inequality in our cities and the organizations who serve them. Immersed in the urban environment, students work on site in soup kitchens, food banks, women’s shelters, senior centers, and restorative justice services to gain insight into the diverse cultures, challenges, and needs of underserved and marginalized urban communities.
This experience is usually a four-day trip and is offered to students in all grades.