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Jesus Christ, during his ministry on earth, always went to the poor and needy and gave his all ministering to the vulnerable in society. He was seen numerous times healing the sick, driving our demons, calling for reforms with the social hierarchy and the wealthy. In the same manner, we are called to serve our communities and families and though that act, express God's love within our lives. As Christians, we are called forth to put into practical use the precepts and commandments that God issued to us. When people look at us, they should see the love of God at work in our actions and God's presence in our lives. Thus serving the poor and needy are just one aspect of showing that love that God had on us and on mankind that he was willing to die for us. Many people find themselves working in communities, volunteering and engaging in service learning to find that love in their lives and to do the act of mercy for without mercy there is no justice.

Recently, community service and social activism has risen to the highest levels yet among American youths. With the desire to do good, reinforced by the teachings on human dignity and justice, we become empowered to make real difference in our world. So what is human dignity? When thinking of Human Dignity with respect to Catholic theology, we will always find ourselves going back to the basics the Bible for the answer. Catholic theology has traditionally argued for the dignity of the human person from the two theological bases creation and redemption. The first base, creation, is of special importance because God created man in his likeness, in the Garden of Eden to be in fellowship with him and with a superior, if not a special, status in creation. And second, God is not a God who made humanity and watches us run to our destruction like a scientist watching a lab rat. Rather, God played an active role in human history to the point where he was willing to be a redeemer, to offer forgiveness for us through his life and blood. Those two bases show humans possessing a special status in creation and it was God himself who gave a higher value to humanity taking the effort to make us with his hand from dust and breathe life into us. It is because of this innate or intrinsic value of a human being that we must learn to respect an individual's right and be prepared to take care of that person even through their end-of-life stage.

As a student given the opportunity to visit a catholic health care institution for academic service

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