Final Summer CFX Trips Illuminate Xavier's Mission 

The summer’s final Companions of Francis Xavier (CFX) trips took students, alumni, faculty, and staff to Tennessee and Maryland, where they lived a key facet of Xavier’s mission: “to act justly in service of others.”

From July 31 to August 3, 45 rising sophomores, one alumnus, and seven faculty members worked at Maryland’s Fresh Fruits Farm. The group harvested 45,000 pounds of sweet corn and 9,000 pounds of zucchini for distribution via the Maryland and York Food Banks. Evenings of prayer, reflection, and discussion followed days of hard work.

"This trip is so important for so many reasons,” said trip director and French and Spanish teacher Deena Sellers. “First and foremost, it serves as an introduction to the Companions of Xavier summer service program, but this experience also helps our young men realize that small works done by many hands can make a very big difference in the world around us. It's a wonderful trip that I enjoy doing every year and I'm glad to be a part of such an incredible program."

Two CFX trips to Robbins, Tennessee this July marked Xavier’s 15th consecutive summer working with Appalachia Habitat for Humanity.

“Our two groups comprised of 50 rising juniors, a mix of faculty and staff, as well as Xavier alumni worked on Habitat homes at various stages, from constructing the foundation to installing flooring, siding, and insulation,” said Director of Ignatian Service Programs Greg Stelzer ’11. “Both groups also spent time with the families for whom the homes were being built, the Habitat volunteers, and other members of the local community, sharing meals and sharing stories, learning about the joys and struggles of life in the Appalachian region of Tennessee. The CFX program is grateful and happy to continue working with Appalachia Habitat for Humanity, which strives to restore stability and pride by financing and building homes for low-income families in Tennessee's Scott and Morgan counties. For our Xavier students, the CFX Tennessee trip is a challenging and meaningful experience of community, simplicity, hospitality, and faith, and I hope that Xavier students continue to recognize the value in giving of themselves for the well-being and joy of others, through such service and immersion trips but also in their own lives and in their own communities.”

To view photos from all summer 2017 CFX trips, click here.