Who Are We?

Service and justice are inextricably linked. Community service activities involve work with people who are marginalized in some way: people in need of food, shelter, and tutoring. Service activities help ensure people’s comfort, success, and, in some cases, survival.

When we engage in service, however, we hope to not be content with the act of service itself, but instead our hope is that it provokes us to ask the question “Why?” Why do we need to be here serving this food? Why are the city schools not able to provide an adequate education for these children? Why are so many people in our city struggling to survive?

It is that “Why?” question which leads us to justice – the longer, broader, more systemic view. Our Jesuit and Christian mandate says that love of our neighbors means working to promote their dignity and ensuring their long-term health and safety.

We welcome and encourage all members of the Loyola community to join in our mission. Visit these links to find out more about the history of CCSJ and our Mission and Guiding Principles, and read on to learn more about our service opportunities.

CCSJ offers three types of service experiences: ongoing service; one-time service events; and local, national and international service immersion programs. For more information about the service, please visit our "Community Service" Web page.

CCSJ promotes justice education through speakers, workshops and trips that allow attendees to explore and think critically about issues that threaten the peaceful, healthy existence of individuals in local, national and international communities. For more information, please visit our "Social Justice" Web page.

CCSJ is an office within Loyola's Academic Division, which reflects our philsophy that service is educational. CCSJ’s Learning Outcomes —which are similar to Loyola course or department objectives — identify educational, professional and personal outcomes for our students involved in community service, service-learning and justice education.

CCSJ houses and collaborates with the Office of Service-Learning by sharing knowledge regarding potential community partner agencies and assisting in the mission of "education through service."

The Jesuit Mandate drives and inspires CCSJ in all of our efforts and programs and we strives to enliven the words of Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. by further developing "men and women for and with others."