My daughter, Siobhan O’Neill, is a Lasallian Volunteer at Holy Family Catholic Worker House and the Migrant Farm Worker Project in Kansas City, Missouri. Siobhan and her community follow the traditions of the Catholic Worker Movement begun by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. They live simple lifestyles and respond to the Gospel call by living the works of mercy and justice. At Migrant Farm Workers, Siobhan works with others who bring many needed services to those who live and work in the fields of Western Missouri.

Volunteering has been an integral part of Siobhan’s life since her sophomore year in high school when she went to Mexico to work among the poor of Tijuana. So it was no surprise to me when Siobhan made the Lasallian Volunteers her goal early in her college career at St. Mary’s College of California. When she was nervously awaiting news of her acceptance into the program, I told her that the Lasallian Volunteer staff would have to deal with me if they did not accept her!

As Catholic Christians, my children and I have always been active in our parish. I am involved in the RCIA program, Siobhan and her sister Treasa taught CCD; sister Sheila and brother Conor were both altar servers and we all help organize the annual parish St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. At their high school, my children worked with the Service Club, working with Habitat for Humanity, the local soup kitchen, Toys for Tots and other organizations. We never considered our participation in any of these activities as anything special; it is simply what Catholic Christians do to praise and thank God and serve one another.

I visited Siobhan over Labor Day weekend. It was so wonderful to meet her community and see where she lives and works. Our conversations are much more meaningful now that I can picture people, places and events of her daily life. Siobhan had described the house and neighborhood to me. The house was exactly how I pictured it, but the neighorhood is not nearly as bad as she made me believe. My visit helped to remove any fears I had about Siobhan’s personal safety.

The Lasallian Volunteer program, as with many other Volunteer programs, is a marvelous way for young people to put the finishing touches on their moral character. They learn humility, confidence, compassion and just a bit of reality. On top of these wonderful characteristics , they get the opportunity to spend time developing their relationship with God. What an opportunity!