At Magdalen College, a culture of service permeates daily life. We serve one another, our local community, as well as the wider world. Our service flows from the teaching of the Church on solidarity, subsidiarity and the dignity of the human person.
At Magdalen College all students participate in the campus service program. This program rests on the principles of solidarity and the fundamental goodness of human work that are key components of Catholic social teaching (CCC 2428). Campus service cultivates the natural gifts of students to maintain the physical campus, lead the music of the liturgy, care for the chapel, grow food in the greenhouse and serve one another in the kitchen. This service benefits the community, fulfilling real needs in our common life while also assisting each individual as he or she develops new skills and responsibilities.
The campus service program also contributes to the sense that the campus is our common home while teaching leadership through service. This model of “servant leadership” was embodied by Christ himself when he washed the feet of his disciples and has, in recent years, become a popular movement within the world of business. In addition to giving students a sense of “ownership” of the campus, new friendships are often formed unexpectedly as students serve together in practical solidarity. And this service inspires gratitude, expanding our vision of the ways those around us serve us each day and calling us to respond with generosity.
Pro-life service opportunities abound at Magdalen College. Through organizations such as Spes Vitae (the Magdalen College pro-life club), Dignitas Scholars, the college’s World Youth Alliance chapter, 40 Days for Life in NH, the NH March for Life, and the National March for Life, many students contribute to building up the culture of life in a variety of ways. About 85% of the student body choose to participate in the National March for Life in Washington D.C. each year.
Magdalen College students are also invited to serve the poor in our community and abroad. Students may serve at the local food pantry and a group of Magdalen College students, the Dignitas Scholars, travels to Catholic homes for children in Latin America and the Caribbean to help with physical improvements and to spend time with the children. In association with the Marian Missionaries, students have the opportunity to participate in trips to serve the homeless in cities such as Boston and Manchester.
Magdalen College’s students also serve the elderly. About once a month, students visit residents at the local senior living community, Pine Rock Manor. During these visits, students often recite poetry, sing, play games or simply converse with residents.
