Mooney wins award for service
The school offers both a Christian service class and
a Christian Service Club.
YOUNGSTOWN — Cardinal Mooney High School’s commitment to community service has won it the 2007 Voice of Hope Institution Award from Catholic Charities Services in the Youngstown Diocese.
Cardinal Mooney is the first school to receive the honor in the 10 years the Voice of Hope Awards have been presented, according to the diocese.
The school was recognized at a recent Voice of Hope Dinner in Warren.
The Cardinal Mooney mission reads, in part, that it is “committed to providing a quality education in the supportive atmosphere of the Mooney Family. ... We strive to develop leaders dedicated to social justice and service in the whole community.”
It’s that service that won the award.
The honor recognizes the work of the Christian service class offered to Cardinal Mooney seniors (74 percent of the senior class is enrolled) and the efforts of the school’s Christian Service Club. A total of 150 students are club members.
The theology department offers the Christian service class, and participants travel to various service sites in the community five days a week.
There are a total of 54 locations on the list, from preschools and grade schools to community agencies and nursing homes, and each gets visitors from Cardinal Mooney every week.
There has always been a service component at the school, and the practice was formalized in the mid-1990s with the formation of the Christian Service Club.
Members of that group have a wide number of programs they support annually, including the “Socks for Samaritan House” drive, decorating Beeghly Oaks Nursing Home for Christmas and “Christmas for The Children,” contributing more than 700 presents yearly for that Catholic Charities annual holiday effort.
In addition, they’ve participated in the Relay for Life and CROP Walk, provided tutoring at John Knox Church and baby-sitting at Beatitude House and provided help for programs such as March of Dimes, the Kidney Foundation, Tod Squadron and a long list of others.
The award drew a Congressional Recognition for the school from U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, who called the community service effort put forth by the students an inspiration for everyone.