Running head: MINISTRY OF PRESENCE

A Reflection of the Social Justice Internship:

Experiencing the Ministry of Presence

Maggie Marx
Loyola University Chicago

MINISTRY OF PRESENCE

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead1
Introduction
When a woman at the Loyola University Research Symposium asked me why I wanted to be a
part of the Social Justice Internship (SJI) program, my knee-jerk reaction shocked me. The
grant, of course; the implicit silent thought invaded my brain space and immediately annoyed
me. I was transported to a year earlier. I had just lost a position at a non-profit organization due
to a lack in funding, and I was no longer allowed to work on campus due to changes in policies
in Residence Life. I felt like my position as a Resident Assistant (RA) was restricting me from
following my passions in social justice. Beyond that limitation, it was seriously forcing me to
consider if I could afford to stay at Loyoladue to costyet again. When my RA supervisor
recommended the SJI to me, I knew that a window opened, and I had to apply for the program.
While the grant component of the program secured my financial position at Loyola for another
year, I knew from the first day of the program that it was never going to be about the money.
When the woman at the research symposium asked me what I gained most from the experience,
the grant was the furthest thing from my thoughts. The Social Justice Internship has provided me
with a new sense of community and confidence that has forever changed the way I view social
justice, people with disabilities, myself, and the power of a few thoughtful committed citizens to
achieve greatness.
The Retreat: What is Social Justice anyway?
On July 31, 2015, Andrew Miller sent an email to me that said, Our retreat is Saturday,
September 12 Sunday, September 13 at the Darst Center in Bridgeport. Well be meeting at
1http://www.luc.edu/experiential/featuredinitiatives/socialjusticeinitiatives/socialjusticeinternshi
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LSC at noon Saturday and returning to LSC by noon Sunday. My immediate reaction: Im
sorry, but what? I have never met these people before and suddenly we are going on a sleepover
retreat? Unexpectedly, this retreat turned out to be the greatest blessing and one of my favorite
parts of the program. One of the first activities, which happened to be one of the most
memorable, was establishing the definition of social justice. It is such a buzzword on Loyolas
campus and in my own life; it was a challenge to pause and define it. When Andrew asked us to
define social justice, we proceeded to fill an entire notebook page with definitions: valuing
diversity, raising awareness, comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable, creating
relationships, empowerment, political process and product, highlighting the margins and
marginalized, coming together for a common goal the list goes on. I have held onto this list as
a reminder of purpose and an indicator for growth. I would love the opportunity to see how our
definitions of social justice have changed or remained the same over the course of our
internships. While I do not think my personal definition for social justice has changed severely,
my year in the Social Justice Internship has reinforced my desire to strive for social justice in my
everyday life. I want to go to the margins to comfort the afflicted and to create relationships that
empower individuals to succeed and grow for the purpose of moving toward a beautiful and
equitable society.
The theme of social justice highlights the other important part of the retreat: the
establishment of our cohort as a community of people coming together for the common goal of
education about social justice. The key word in the previous sentence for me is community. You
could probably pinch the awkwardness out of the air during our first meal together in Cuneo.
Twenty-four hours later, nothing would stop us from talking and laughing all the way back to
Loyolas campus. The retreat gave a well-rounded introduction to professional, personal, civic

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and intellectual development through readings, conversation, and reflection. Moments of the
retreat still shine bright in my memorywhen Jacob and I stayed up until the middle of the night
having conversations that I have never had with anyone else, when we heard about each others
lives for five minutes, the endless supply of taco makings from that amazing restaurant,
analyzing Parker Palmers (2007) A New Professional, and of course defining social justice.
After retreat, I knew that all nine of us (and Andrew) were in this program together, and we
could rely on each other for support. Social change and community development is not a oneperson job. However, as Margaret Mead says, a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens
can change the world.2 The retreat at the Darst Center was a twenty-four hour formation of a
communityone that is strong and full of thoughtful, committed, inspirational, and intelligent
individuals I feel honored to know and call my friends.
First Days at Misericordia
When I was selected for the Social Justice Internship, I had no idea what Misericordia was. I had
experience in recreation and programming as a group fitness instructor and RA, and I thought
this would be a unique opportunity to continue to develop my personal and professional skills in
these areas. Our orientation was briefa couple hours maybe. I remember learning basic sign
language and what to do if we encounter certain behaviors while working with the residents. We
did not get a tour, and there were no specifics about what we would actually be doing in our
placements. My head was spinning as I was thrown into my first week in the Recreation and
Leisure Department. On my first day, we went on an outing to a yoga studio in the community.
Everyone was so welcoming and the residents were excited, but I felt like I was floating in a
cloud. What am I doing here?
2http://www.luc.edu/experiential/featuredinitiatives/socialjusticeinitiatives/socialjusticeinternshi
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Looking back to reflections I wrote in the first weeks of my internship, my writing was
filled with anxiety and surprise. Prior to starting, I was worried I would mess up in some way
or that I would not understand or know what to do. I was frustrated with the lack of
communication and scheduling conflicts. After my first day in art classes, I wrote that I was
surprised at the variations in the population. Earlier that day, I remember my anxiety
intensifying to the point that I almost did not go to work. Fortunately, these emotions did not last
for long. There was a particularly memorable day in September when the residents were
preparing for their Family Fest performance. All programs were cancelled for the day, and we
were running dance rehearsals all afternoon and evening. Since I was still new to the
department, I was observing and running random errands when necessary. As I was watching the
residents practice, I was so overcome with emotions that I started to cry. To this day, I hesitate to
admit this moment because I cannot find the words to explain why I was crying. However, I do
know that it was this moment that I realized that Misericordia was the perfect placement for me;
beyond anything I could have imagined. In my journal I wrote, this job will not be easy, but will
be worth it. Our cohort left for retreat two days later, and after retreat, I simply wrote the words
love and pure contentment. These reflective words set the tone for the course of the year.
Discussing my concerns on retreat and working closely with my supervisor was critical in
establishing exactly what I was doing at Misericordia and in the Social Justice Internship.
Reflecting back on these moments reinforces my personal development in the program. I have
come leaps and bounds since my first month at Misericordia. It quickly became a place of
escape from the stress of my everyday college life. I never felt like I was going to work, I was
simply going to be in community with the residents at Misericordia. There was never room to
worry about what was going on in my personal or academic life while I was at Misericordia

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because it was always such an overwhelming and all-encompassing experience. I struggle to

find better words than this because it is an indescribable feeling. I could be having the worst day
in the world, but the minute I sit to do art with Caroline or hug Michael, the rest of my world
melts away. Personally, I developed a sense of calm and confidence in my ability to interact with
residents and find joy in the everyday experience, although I could not have achieved this
progress without the help of the other social justice interns.
The Power of the Cohort
I think the class component of the Social Justice Internship is one of the most unique and
critical components of the program. Anyone can volunteer at a non-profit organization or
interview for an internship, but few people have the privilege of doing it alongside an
inspirational cohort of individuals. With everyone at different internship sites, I looked forward
to class meetings because it was an opportunity to hear what my peers were learning in their
placements, and I was able to supplement my own learning with their experiences. The various
class themes and discussions allowed me to delve into ideas and concepts that I have latched
onto for a while, but never truly understood.
The first semester of the class gave us the opportunity to showcase our own passions and
interests within the vast scope of social justice. Professionally, these projects developed our oral
presentation skills and our ability to be both passionate and well informed. This activity was
beneficial to me because I often feel like I speak with passion, but do not have the facts to back it
up. The first semester was also a continuation of the intentional conversations we started on
retreat. I enjoyed the ethical dilemma exercises, controversial topic conversations, and debates
about power and politics. I think these exercises were great practice for conversations we will
likely be having for the rest of our lives. The benefit of having them now, however, is we had

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them in a safe spacea growing spaceamong the members of our cohort. We all come from
different backgrounds and experiences both inside and outside of Loyola. I may never get the
opportunity to have such engaging and important conversations with members of the Loyola
community, though the course component gave me the skills and confidence to challenge others
and find ways to engage in these conversations when possible and appropriate.
The second semester of the class component was much more engrossed by our
coursework, rather than intentional conversations. By January, we had built the foundation to
move toward action steps by exploring leadership, asset based community development, and
reflection. At first, the assignments were overwhelming, but they strongly influenced my
intellectual development over the course of the year. As I said before, I consider myself a rather
passionate person, but I do not necessarily think I am as informed about all aspects of social
injustices. The second semester assignments encouraged me to search out resources that can
support my passions and develop my knowledge about certain issues. Furthermore, reflection is
an important part of intellectual development. The reflections I wrote over the course of the year
allowed me to look at my intellectual progress in the various course topics, and encouraged a
desire to walk outside my comfort zone in searching for further growth.
Growth and Ministry
One area of personal growth I wanted to develop outside of the Social Justice Internship
this year was rediscovering my Catholic faith identity. Little did I know that this desire would be
a monumental component of my experience at Misericordia. At a Campus Ministry retreat in the
end of September, I met Jamesa Jesuit scholastic in his last year of his Philosophy program at
Loyola. As a part of their formation process, most Jesuits live with people with developmental
disabilities (most often at LArche communities). James and I connected because of our

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common experiences with people with disabilities, and he was fascinated with the design of the
SJI. We quickly scheduled a time for coffee to discuss the program further. The conversations I
had with James that first day over coffee and every time since continue to enlighten my faith
journey, especially as it relates to my internship at Misericordia.
I told James about my anxieties in working at Misericordia, but also how much of a stress
release it had become for me. I also told him that I was struggling to find God in the midst of my
busy life. I had recently started to go to mass more and make attempts at daily prayer again
practices that had been reinforced since grade school. James said to me, Maggie, Im not telling
you that you shouldn't go to mass, but if youre looking for the face of God, keep an eye out at
Misericordia. Youll find it there. He proceeded to tell me about the ministry of presencean
act of service through the physical action of being with an individual. These words were
transformational in the way I would act and work for the rest of my year at Misericordia. I
reread my journal before writing this reflection, and I noticed my growth after this moment
almost immediately. Simple conversations with residents became the highlights of my days. I
became more observant of their challenges, and they way they cope with these challenges. Many
of the residents struggle with anxiety, but simply sitting by their side and holding their hand in
art, or assisting them into a new pose in yoga can completely change their mood. In December, I
wrote about a resident, Ruthie, who is mostly nonverbal:
I sat and did a card with Ruthie today. She didnt talk at all, but she also didnt yell. She
just stared at me and occasionally held my hand. I kept thinking about what James said
as far as seeing God in the face of residents.
I felt like I had grown exponentially over the course of the first semester, I wanted it to continue
into the second semester. I decided to change my schedule and take on a new challenge.

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I kept working on Mondays with Sarah at yoga, but I moved from Wednesdays to
Thursdays, working more closely with Jacob in dance class and Jose in bowling. Sarah and Gail
had mentioned the opportunity for me to take on my own class, and I jumped at the opportunity.
After teaching dance classes for 4 years in high school, I knew this was the perfect chance to
transfer my skills to a new area; I wanted to teach tap dancing. After Gail approved the project, I
started almost immediately. Every Thursday afternoon, I taught five girls basic tap moves and
simple combinations. This specific opportunity was a testament to how much I had grown
already, but also how much growing I still had left to do. While I interacted comfortably and
confidently with the residents in the class, I had only met one of them prior to the first class. I
had to get to know every resident in the class individually in order to figure out how they learn
best and how I can empower them to achieve greatness. The forty-five minute class became the
most challenging and most rewarding minutes of my weeks. I continued to find God in the face
of the residents and strive to deliver the ministry of presence. In challenging times, I would look
to Sarah and my other mentors for guidance, confidence, and strength.
Mentorship
The Successful Internship: Personal, Professional and Civic Development spoke
extensively about the importance of having a strong working relationship with your supervisor at
your internship (Sweitzer & King, 2009). I was fortunate enough to have two positive mentors
in the program, one in each componenton-site and in class. Sarah Wainright was truly a
blessing to have at Misericordia. While she was not my head supervisor, I learned and grew the
most because of her. She was not only my direct supervisor, but also a role model. I looked
forward to assisting with her programs, and she gave me an ample amount of autonomy. My
third week in the position, she told me she noticed how good I was with the residents, as though

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it was natural to me. The next week, she asked if I wanted to teach one of her classes without her
because she had somewhere else to be. I declined the offer because I did not feel ready for it, but
her offer alone was a sign of trust and encouragement. Over the course of the year, I knew I
could ask Sarah anything. She gave me advice on how to work with residents and coworkers
alike, and she always made sure I was comfortable in what I was doing. Sarah was mentor to me
because she exemplified the mission of Misericordia in every way. Sarah not only attempted to
maximize the independence and self-determination in residents, but she did this for me as well.
She instilled the confidence in me to grow personally and professionally in every area of my
internship. The experience would be completely different without her.
As a cohort, Andrew Miller was a critical leader to our growth in the Social Justice
Internship. In a brief interview, Andrew defined mentorship as simply being available as a
resource and using your own experience to encourage, guide, and most importantly support
someone else. Andrew was important to my personal formation process because he truly was a
mentor according to his own definition. Social Justice issues are not always easy topics to
discuss, but he always created a growing space for usa positive class atmosphere that made
every discussion meaningful and important. He challenged my intellectual development by
encouraging me to delve deeper into various issues and statements. He would never allow us to
make a statement and move one, but instead would challenge us to explain or question further.
Andrew was especially important to my second semester in the program. After my longdistance partner was diagnosed with cancer over winter break, the first assignment I had to
complete was a paper for the SJI. I had no interest in going to my internship, attending classes or
completing homework assignments, but Andrew helped me through itprobably more than he
knows. It seemed like every time I received updates about my partners treatment progress, I had

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to go to SJI class right afterward. I struggled to find my passions and talk about my internship
when it felt like every part of my world was crumbling around me. My time as Misericordia
continued to be a distraction and a stress release, but class time was not as easy. Yet somehow,
Andrew still drew responses out of me. He reminded me of my purpose and my passion in what
I am doing. He gave me the support I needed to continue on in my internship, to grow
intellectually and personally on my journey.
Conclusions and Moving Forward
When asked to list three learning objectives for my year at Misericordia, I wrote:
1. Become educated, comfortable, and confident in working with people with disabilities by
immersing myself in the daily activities at Misericordia, and be able to tell others about
the experience afterwards.
2. Learn how to safely provide hands-on assistance to residents in yoga and art classes in
order to empower and motivate the residents to continue to move and help themselves
when appropriate.
3. Grow in my ability to ask difficult questions, identify social injustices, and ask for help in
circumstances where it is necessaryespecially as I am working with a vulnerable
population.
Finishing out my year, I am confident I have completed all three of these objectives, as this
reflection is evidence of such. However, growth and competence is a journey. As a future
lawyer for youth in the juvenile justice system, I will be working with vulnerable populations. I
will take what I have learned this year in the Social Justice Internship and apply it to my future
work. Intellectually, I have learned to ask questions and delve deeper into the social justice
buzzword. I no longer take things at face value, but rather, I want to know the background
evidence behind a factjust as I want to know the background story behind every individual I

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encounter. Personally, this experience has been a part of my own story developmenta chapter
in my book that I will be forever grateful for.
I have been fulfilled by the joy of the residents at Misericordia. Even though I had never
worked with people with disabilities before this year, I have already sought out ways I can
continue the ministry of presence in other spheres. This May, I will be living with a LArche
community for a week on a Loyola Alternative Break Immersion. Although my professional
path has always seemed rather direct, I have started to explore how I can use my future education
and law degree to advocate for individuals with disabilities. I hope to do some pro-bono work or
potentially work as a Guardian ad litem for youth with disabilities. While a few pages of
reflection never seem like enough to stand alone as a final product of my progress as a Social
Justice Intern, I can only continue to express how meaningful this experience was, and it will
continue to be one of the most memorable pieces of my Loyola experience. The ministry of
presence is a co-created experience. The ministry bestowed on me by Sarah, Andrew, my cohort
of interns and every resident at Misericordia has been transformational in my personal,
intellectual and professional growth as a Social Justice Intern and beyond.

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References

Palmer, P. (2007, November-December). A New Professional: The Aims of Education Revisited.

Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 6-12.
Sweitzer H., & King, M. (2009). The successful internship: Personal, professional, and civic
development (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.