Students from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (CUA Law) traveled by bus to the Washington Hebrew Congregation where they joined CUA undergraduates and many local volunteers to participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Prior to boarding the buses, CUA Law students joined students, faculty, and staff from all other areas of The Catholic University of America to enjoy a light breakfast and conversation.
The day kicked off with a presentation about Martin Luther King Jr. from CUA Campus Ministry.
Emmjolee Mendoza Waters, Associate Director of Campus Ministry and Community Service provided the students with a Martin Luther King Jr. quote: "I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind's problems. And I'm going to everywhere I go. I know it isn't popular to talk about it in some circles today. I'm not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love, I'm talking about a strong, demanding love."
Throughout the day students cut vegetables for stew, prepared casseroles, and generally assisted in the kitchen. CUA Law students felt the strong sense of community and enjoyed the opportunity to give back in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.
At the end of the day, Rabbi Bruce Lustig brought CUA Law students and the CUA lacrosse team to visit the chapel. "God's love can only live between the faces of men," he told students.
CUA Law Professor Sandy Ogilvy, Director of the Office of Career and Professional Development Tonya Gaskins, and Pro Bono Coordinator Aoife Delargy were also present.
Student reactions:
"This day was Rev. King's principles in action in a humble, small, yet significant way for myself and my fellow students, faculty, and staff of Columbus School of Law and my brothers and sisters from the Catholic University; instead of just talking about MLK's unconditional love and choices for action, we were fully engaged in doing what he would have wanted all of us to do. I was part of the focused team work at Washington Hebrew Synagogue (WHS), lovingly preparing hundreds of nutritious casseroles for our brothers and sisters in the homeless shelters of the region that WHS was steadily serving with dedication. This work was such an antidote to the divisive bickering that our country is currently engaged in - as the hall at WHS where we did our work was filled with members of different ethnic, religious, national, and cultural groups - all singularly focused on serving," Jude Antonyappan, 1L said.