"Catholic Students pledge 500,000 Hours of Service as Birthday Gift to the Pope"

Quite a social service bouquet:

More than 500,000 community service hours have been pledged by Catholic school students and other Catholic youths in honor of Pope Benedict XVI's 81st birthday.

he pope's birthday is April 16, the second day of his six-day visit to the United States.

Washington Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl, announced the number of pledged hours March 25 during opening remarks at the National Catholic Educational Association's convention in Indianapolis.

... Students choose how to spend their volunteer hours. Acts of service are broadly defined as anything that helps another person or improves the environment. Students are encouraged to conduct canned food drives, visit nursing homes, write letters to those in military service or to shut-ins, raise money for a charity or clean up a local park. (CNS)

Far be it from me to criticize a worthy effort, but I should hope that some of those hours of service might be spent in Eucharistic adoration praying for the pope's intentions - that's social service too.

And if you like this post, see my other recent posts on the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict to the USA.