Chi Rho Catholic Service Corps

The 1971 Synod of Bishops declared that: “Action on behalf of justice and
participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive
dimension of the preaching of the Gospel…” (Justice in the World, Intro., par 6).
Work on behalf of social justice is essential to the Gospel and is the vocation of every
Christian, not just the clergy and vowed religious.

With this in mind, The Chi Rho Catholic Service Corps was started in 1991 by the
Reverend Thomas J. Barry, in response to the lack of programs in the Archdiocese of
Hartford that brought young Catholic adults together in service and prayer.

Chi Rho Catholic Service Corps was designed for Catholic adults recently graduated
or nearing the end of college to devote a year of service towards the Christian vision
of peace and justice on earth for all. Those who choose this program in someway try
to bridge the often wide gap between the religious services and everyday living. It is
said that the retired Archbishop of Recife, Brazil, Dom Helder Camera, once
responded to critics of his involvement in social affairs by stating that the beams of
the cross of Jesus are not only vertical (between God and myself), but also horizontal
(between myself and others).

The program’s name is taken from the Greek letters “Chi” and “Rho”, which are the
first two letters in the Greek spelling of “Christ”. The name “Chi Rho” was chosen
to remind those involved with the program that Christ is the foundation of each of the
program’s tenets: simple community living, personal and spiritual growth, and service
to others.

Chi Rho has recruited students from all over the country, from schools such as
Brown University, Stanford University and Yale University. These volunteers spent a
year of their lives in programs such as: My Sister’s Place in Hartford where they
helped tutor youth and adults, recruiting volunteers and preparing apartments; The
Office of Urban Affairs in New Haven, where the volunteers created an educationally
enriching project for children for after school and over the summer; Peter’s Retreat in
Hartford, working half of the time as an administrative assistant and half of the time
as a community coordinator; the Tabor House in Hartford, where the volunteers spent
their time counseling, supporting and caring for AIDS patients; to name just a few of
the placements.

Striving for growth and practice of the program tenets in the lives of corps members
requires some degree of sacrifice, seriousness, and commitment. It is hoped that
corps members will treasure throughout their lives many experiences from their
volunteer year with Chi Rho Catholic Service Corps.

The community of volunteers for the 2011-2012 community will be the first class
that will live in New Haven, CT. We are very excited for this move, as the city
provides many cultural, spiritual, and entertainment opportunities.