At Mater Dei, it is our belief that the experience of serving others allows our students to develop self-confidence, to become aware of the needs of others, and to recognize the many ways they can utilize the gifts and talents God has bestowed on them. Moreover, service guides the students to an understanding that faith requires action and is demonstrated in deeds. Therefore, we take immense pride in our students’ remarkable commitment to meeting the needs of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, as they continually respond to our main calling as Catholics: to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Throughout the year, as part of their religion class, students perform individual service at home, at school, and in the community. Moreover, our students actively participate in special Mater Dei service projects sponsored by both their religion classes and other organizations.

On a weekly basis, students donate money to the missions that are sponsored by each class. Currently, our students support Santa Clara Scholarship Fund for students in Guatemala, Sr. Thea Bowman School in East St. Louis, St. Anne Mission Hospital in Kenya, Africa, and orphanages in Haiti and Venezuela. Our students continually donate over $10,000 to these missions each school year!

Finally, as seniors, our students complete a three-week Senior Service Project, which the Diocese of Belleville requires for Althoff Catholic High School, Gibault Catholic High School, and Mater Dei Catholic High School. More specifically, in January, our senior students respond to the needs of others at a variety of locations in Clinton County, the greater metro-east area, and St. Louis, including day care centers, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, civil agencies, and social agencies. Through their participation in this project, our students connect the educational experience of religion in the classroom to the practical, day-to-day experience of religion in our society – they truly serve to learn and learn to serve!