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1701 North State Street Jackson, MS 39210-0001 (800)352-1050 (601)974-1000
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Catholic Charities Internship
As an undergraduate, sitting across a small table from the Bishops of the Episcopal and Methodist churches, the Vicar of the Catholic church, a representative from the lieutenant governor's office, and a state senator while they discuss the needs of children across the state is a pretty overwhelming experience. But, this is just one of the many fascinating conversations I am a part of through my internship with Catholic Charities.
Every morning, I walk into the cozy second-floor office downtown not knowing what to expect. Some days I will be making signs for protests against the death penalty, designing posters for workshops, calling priests in various parishes throughout the state, attending meetings at the capitol about juvenile justice or Medicaid, and myriad other exciting tasks. While I do my share of making copies and running errands, I have so many wonderful opportunities to see first-hand what goes into being on the administrative side of social ministry.
My mentor never ceases to amaze me. Whether we are in a meeting with Bishops and legislators or with the man who runs the warehouse for hurricane victims, she treats everyone with the same level of respect. She goes beyond the responsibilities of her job to reach out to people in need. She also focuses all of her attention on the task at hand - she makes me feel like whatever we are talking about at the time is the most important thing in the whole world to her. Her work clearly energizes her - she never stops. She works from home at night and on the weekends and has started traveling all across the state to give presentations about children's needs in Mississippi. I can tell that she loves what she does and believes in the causes for which she fights. I hope that I have half of her energy, passion, and conviction in my work and life.
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