The class expectations for Christian Service vary from year to year to provide a holistic formation for our students. While service can be defined in a number of ways, Campus Ministry has intentionally laid out expectations for each year based on specific learning objectives.
Each year of the Bishop Chatard experience expands students’ scope and understanding of what it means to serve as Jesus calls us to in the Gospel.
Check out the drop down areas below for class expectations!
All 2022-23 Christian Service hours must be completed by April 15, 2023.

Everyone is called to serve
We serve because Jesus tells us that serving others is an important part of being a faithful Christian disciple: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40); “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:15); and “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31), to name a few.
We all need practice
An athlete could not be considered strong if she only worked out her legs and not the rest of her body; a pianist could not be considered musically adept if he only practiced with his right hand; a student cannot move on to calculus before first mastering the basics of algebra.
Similarly, our program has an intentional shape to it. There are learning objectives that correspond to the spiritual and developmental needs of each specific class, as well as integration with Theology curriculum. Like lifting weights, practicing the piano, or studying math, our expectations within the Christian Service Program might stretch students outside of their comfort zone, but this is necessary so they can advance in their understanding of serving as Christ calls us to.
As a Catholic high school, we are proud to set high expectations in the formation of our students: academically, athletically, extracurricularly, and perhaps most importantly, spiritually. The Christian Service Program is an integral part of the spiritual formation of our students. It always goes back to Jesus, who is both Teacher and Servant: “If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).
It fulfills a Graduation Pathway required by the IN DOE
We also serve at Bishop Chatard because it fulfills a Graduation Pathway required by the Indiana Department of Education to demonstrate employability skills. This means that, starting with the Class of 2023, in order to graduate, Bishop Chatard students must fulfill these expectations.
View Graduation Pathway InformationIt’s part of who we are
The four pillars at Bishop Chatard are faith, learning, leadership, and service. It’s no coincidence that we start with faith and end with service. Faith is the fertile ground in which other virtues spring up, and service is the perfection of everything that we hope to achieve at Bishop Chatard: faithful, educated leaders giving themselves for others. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
- Modeled on what Jesus calls us to do: ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40)
- Just as important as attending class and doing the required academic work.
- A ‘Graduation Pathway’ required by the IN Department of Education for graduation, beginning with the Class of 2023.
- Due for all classes by April 14, 2023.
Jesus began His human understanding of service at home with His parents; after His birth at Bethlehem, Jesus went to Nazareth to live with Mary and Joseph. Although Scripture doesn’t reveal much about the early years of His life, we can imagine that Jesus learned Joseph’s trade and spent time with His extended family and friends, becoming strong and wise (Luke 2:39-40). Our freshmen begin their journeys of faith and service in the same way.
- Each freshman must intentionally spend time with a member of his or her family for a minimum of 10 hours.
- The important thing is that this time spent together leaves room for conversation and relationship-building.
- Freshmen may count up to two hours of service at a BCHS program or event** held during the school year toward their yearly Christian Service class expectation.
- Going on a walk
- Playing board games
- Practicing a sport
- Sharing a one-on-one meal
- Getting coffee/tea/ice cream
- Doing chores together with the family that allows for a conversation
- Washing/drying dishes
- Painting a bedroom
- Walking the dog
- Helping with BCHS programs
- Annual Fund Dinner
- Chatard-a-bration
- Open House
- Dance Marathon
- Other Ambassador-related activities
Does NOT meet expectations
- Anything you get paid to do
- Watching TV/movies
- Playing video games
- Babysitting a younger sibling
- Doing chores independently for the family where dialogue can’t happen
- Ex: Mowing the lawn, taking out the trash
- Doing any kind of service without a member of your family
- Sophomores must complete 15 hours of service within a faith community. (If a sophomore is not active in any particular faith community, we encourage them to either join a church for a new experience or partner with a friend who is active in his or her worship community.)
- Sophomores may count up to three hours of service at a BCHS program or event** held during the school year toward their yearly Christian Service class expectation
- Since sophomore year is a time when many of our Bishop Chatard students are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, many of them are already required to serve their parish; service done with the Confirmation class meets the expectation, too.
- Helping with a liturgical ministry during Mass or Sunday worship
- Lector / Altar Server / Usher
- Sacristan / Hospitality
- Member of the Band/Choir
- EMHC (Confirmed Catholics)
- Cleaning/decorating the church
- Participating in a church-sanctioned service with other parishioners
- St. Vincent dePaul
- Urban gardening
- Prison ministry
- Helping with a church event
- Vacation Bible School
- Socials or festivals
- Lenten Fish Frys
- Pancake Breakfast
- Sunday school
- Babysitting kids at church so adults can attend church functions
- Helping with BCHS programs
- Annual Fund Dinner
- Chatard-a-bration
- Open House
- Dance Marathon
- Other Ambassador-related activities
- Assisting BCHS Campus Ministry
- Liturgies
- Retreats
- Peer Ministry
Does NOT meet the expectation:
- Anything you get paid to do
- Helping with camps/clinics/sports
- Doing chores at home
- Taking care of relatives
- Serving away from the church campus without fellow parishioners
The admonitions of Jesus to care for those who have physical needs are often called the Corporal, or bodily, Works of Mercy.
- Juniors must spend 20 hours performing Christian Service that connects with the Corporal Works of Mercy.
- Juniors may count up to four hours of service at a BCHS program or event** held during the school year toward their yearly Christian Service class expectation.
Details
There is some flexibility in what students can do to meet this expectation. For example, “Give drink to the thirsty” could refer to a different kind of need, like the need for a role model in the lives of younger students who perhaps don’t have many good examples. Ask Campus Ministry if you think you have an idea that isn’t listed that would satisfy the expectations for your class.
- Feed the hungry
- Soup kitchens/food pantries
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Mentoring/tutoring students in need (ex. Miracle Place)
- Clothe the naked
- Sites that provide quality clothing for those in need (ex. Mission 27)
- Visit the imprisoned
- Creating a relationship with a homebound person
- Getting involved with a prison ministry
- Shelter the homeless
- Homeless shelters
- Ministries that care for those experiencing homelessness
- Visit the sick
- Visiting elderly persons in nursing homes
- Helping with BCHS programs
- Annual Fund Dinner
- Chatard-a-bration
- Open House
- Dance Marathon
- Other Ambassador-related activities
- Assisting BCHS Campus Ministry
- Liturgies
- Retreats
- Peer Ministry
Does NOT meet the expectation:
- Anything you get paid to do
- Helping with camps/clinics/sports
- Doing chores at home
- Taking care of relatives
- Helping with animals
Throughout the centuries, the Church has been guided by the Holy Spirit to clearly articulate a response to concerns about social justice; this set of principles is called Catholic Social Teaching, which seniors learn about in their theology classes.
- Seniors must complete 25 hours of Christian Service based on their understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and their personal service interests.
- Seniors may count up to five hours of service at a BCHS program or event** held during the school year toward their yearly Christian Service class expectation.
Details
There is some flexibility in what students can do to meet this expectation. Be sure to ask Campus Ministry if you think you have an idea that isn’t listed that would satisfy your class expectation. The important thing is being able to connect your service to one of the pillars of Catholic Social Teaching.
- Serving with an organization that supports the following Catholic Social Teaching principles:
- Life and Dignity of the Human Person
- Call to Family, Community, and Participation
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Preferential Option for the Poor
- The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
- Solidarity
- Care for God’s Creation
- Performing Corporal Works of Mercy
- See Junior Expectations
- Advocating for just policies
- Helping with BCHS programs
- Annual Fund Dinner
- Chatard-a-bration
- Open House
- Dance Marathon
- Other Ambassador-related activities
- Assisting BCHS Campus Ministry
- Liturgies
- Retreats
- Peer Ministry
Does NOT meet the expectation:
- Anything you get paid to do
- Helping with camps/clinics/sports
- Doing chores at home
- Taking care of relatives
- Picking up trash
MobileServe – Record Your Service Hours
MobileServe is an app students can download to their phones and iPads that allows them to easily record their service hours. Students can sign in to their school-created account using the Google single-sign in feature on the home page of the app (do NOT type in your credentials to the username and password; instead, click the Google “G” icon and sign in with your student account).
View MobileServe InstructionsExceeding Class Service Expectations
Many Bishop Chatard students serve their school and communities in ways outside of the class expectations. This is a good thing! We will honor those experiences and encourage students to log these hours that don’t meet their class expectation on MobileServe.
To log extra hours on MobileServe, choose the category “Other” for service performed outside of Bishop Chatard or “at Bishop Chatard” for service performed here at school. Add the hours and get a supervisor’s signature as usual.
- Helping with camps/clinics/sports
- Assisting BCHS Campus Ministry
- Liturgies
- Retreats
- Peer Ministry
- Helping BCHS programs
- Annual Fund Dinner
- Chatard-a-bration
- Open House
- Dance Marathon
- Other Ambassador-related activities
- Any service that meets a sophomore, junior, or senior year expectation, provided that you are not currently in that grade
- Anything you get paid to do
- Doing chores at home
- Taking care of relatives
St. Lawrence Honor Cord
Students who exceed class expectations are eligible for the St. Lawrence Honor Cord. This is a distinction received at graduation that acknowledges students who went above and beyond what they were required to do and met a certain number of hours over the course of their four years at Bishop Chatard.
- Class of 2023 – 175 hours (reduced for COVID)
- Class of 2024 and younger – 200 hours
Christian Service Immersion Trips (CSI)
Campus Ministry offers a variety of Chrisitian Service Immersion (CSI) trips during summer, fall, and spring breaks. These are excellent programs that integrate service with learning, reflection, and prayer.
Juniors and seniors who participate in these programs will not only have a hugely beneficial and formative experience, but they will also instantly meet their Christian Service Class expectation for that year.
This trip will only satisfy the service expectation if it is made during that year and will not rollover (ex. If a student attends two CSI trips during their junior year, one does not count toward their senior year expectation).
View Details about Christian Immersion Trips at BCHS