During this year's orientation at Ursuline Academy in Dedham, students spent time in service to others in keeping with the school's tradition of Serviam, the motto of the Ursuline sisters and Ursuline schools worldwide. Serviam, or "I will serve," has inspired generations of Ursuline students since the school's founding in 1946. As members of a Catholic school community inspired by the legacy of St. Angela Merici, Ursuline students are called to lives of purpose, love, and action. At the heart of this is a simple yet profound truth -- we as individuals are God's hands, feet, and heart in this world.

To be God's hands means that we ourselves are called to act. We are called to reach out, to build, to heal, and to help. When we serve as God's hands, we offer ourselves fully to those we are serving and we become instruments of God's work on earth.

Think about St. Angela Merici, whose company of St. Ursula became the Ursuline Order; she dedicated her life to uplifting young women at a time when society often overlooked their potential. She saw the needs of her community and stepped in with a heart full of courage and compassion. As a school community, Ursuline students are called to recognize the needs around them and respond, just as Angela did -- with open hands and willing hearts.

Being God's feet means that we must be ready to go where God's love is most needed. It may mean being courageous, stepping out of one's comfort zone, or being present in places where others may fear to tread. Inspired by St. Angela, the Ursuline Sisters have continued this journey, serving in schools, hospitals, and communities across the world. They have chosen to devote their lives to others, walking beside those in need. Leading by example, Ursuline students recognize that service isn't about staying still -- it is about moving with purpose and going the extra mile for others.

In June 2024, a group of students and two campus ministers set out from Ursuline Academy in Dedham on just such a journey. It was a seven-hundred-mile, 10-hour trip, to Bethlehem Farm in Alderson, West Virginia, where they were greeted with the words, "Welcome Home." How unusual to be so far from their families and all that was familiar in Boston, to be "welcomed home" deep in the Appalachian mountains. Yet, the warmth of the caretakers at this intentional, Christian community was so generous in hospitality that the group felt immediately at ease.

The Ursuline Dedham contingent was met by community members from Ursuline sister schools from Dallas, New Orleans, and St. Louis. Months of shared preparation and prayer led to this week of sister school service, rooted in a common heritage, mission, and core values.

Infused with St. Angela's spirit of Serviam, students and staff shared daily prayer, work, and community meals, and grew to depend upon one another deeply. From learning the basics of home repair and then applying these new skills to restore porches, patch drywall, and install new roofs, Ursuline volunteers spread across three counties to improve the homes of residents most in need in West Virginia. Bethlehem Farm's cornerstones of service, prayer, simplicity, and community were easily applied each day as students worked toward a deeper understanding of social justice.

Cool summer evenings offered time for joyful conversation from porch swings and games of capture the flag in fields filled with fireflies. The summer solstice offered the opportunity to honor the earth by learning about sustainable practices, including water and electricity conservation and composting. Above all, students were introduced to a way of life which embraces Gospel values, and immersed attendees in the care for God's creation and a focus on the inherent dignity of each person encountered at Bethlehem Farm.

Without cell phones, watches, or makeup, students experienced a simpler way of life and grew in relationship with one another and with God. According to Grace Jean '26, "There's an unexplainable stress-free atmosphere at Bethlehem Farms that allowed me to comfortably adapt to a routine that truly makes you feel at home. As I think about the week, I'd love to go back to hear those words, 'Welcome Home' again, knowing that there's no place like home." For Grace and all Ursuline students, this is no longer a greeting, but a way of life and love that St. Angela would say "is engraved upon our hearts forever."



Mary-Kate Tracy '94 is the director of mission and diversity, equity and inclusion (mktracy@ursulineacademy.net); Kathleen Furey '18 and Jordan Grubb are campus ministers. An independent Catholic school for young women in grades seven to 12, Ursuline enrolls 375 students from 57 communities and is located on a 28-acre campus in Dedham, MA. For more information about Ursuline, please call 781.493.7726.