St. Joseph Worker Goes Back to High School

Lisse was a St. Joseph Worker in 2003-2004. During this time, she worked in Campus Ministry at Cretin Derham Hall High School in St. Paul. Here is an article written about her in her time at CDH.

Where can I buy fair-trade gifts? How can I speak out against the death penalty? Where are we going on our next service trip? If a student at Cretin-Derham Hall High School knows the answer to any one of these questions, it’s probably because he or she has talked to Lisse.

Lisse’s job within Campus Ministry at CDH high school is part educator, part coordinator, part advocate, part communicator…well, according to her supervisor, Lou Anne Tighe, “Lisse is a part of everything we do”. And that’s quite a lot. Lisse lists some of her favorite activities of the year so far as coordinating service trips to places like House of Charity in Minneapolis and being involved in student groups, such as Sowers of Justice and Growing Seeds of Alliance. But this job is not always easy. She has found herself doing things she never would have expected. “Where I as once undecided on issues like the death penalty and fair-trade items, now I’m advocating for what I know I believe. I couldn’t have done this last year.”

Lou Anne Tighe has seen how Lisse’s enthusiasm and approachability has really extended the presence of Campus Ministry at the school. She has the ability to be a fun visible presence at events such as dances and football games. But more than this, she adds to the Campus Ministry team a welcoming and non-judgmental personality that accepts people where they are in their path. This attitude does not go unnoticed by students and staff. Lou Anne notes that “Lisse is very respected by people here.” She also calls Lisse a “strong advocate for the other,” or for those people who don’t have access to power. “We need advocacy training in Catholic Education—the Eucharist message includes advocacy.” In this sense, Lisse is a good representative of the CSJ charism at CDH, of which Tighe says “it is because of the CSJs that we have such a broad parameter for advocacy. They have implemented a mandate to get at the heart of what it means to be the followers of Christ.”

Lisse isn’t sure where her journey will take her after the St Joseph Worker Program, but you can be sure she’ll take this charism with her.