ALBAÑA: From Service to Communion ... Being a brother to the poor

(Elyse Chia/Unsplash)In 2018, I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in the Bronx for a “come and see” weekend. One of the defining charisms of their community is poverty — both living in it and serving those who experience it. On the very first day, we were invited to join the friars at a large soup kitchen they host, open to anyone in the city. On that day, over 70 unhoused individuals came, seeking not only a meal but genuine fellowship. 

I had volunteered at soup kitchens before, but what struck me about this experience was the intentional presence of the friars. They didn’t simply serve food — they sat down and ate with those they served. They shared stories, made jokes and listened. This made the soup kitchen more than a meal line; it became a space of encounter, filled with laughter, conversation and dignity. The meal lasted hours — not from delay, but from shared communion. 

Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, captures a profound truth in Tattoos on the Heart: “Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a covenant between equals.” This insight reminds us that true Christian service rests on three essential elements: humility, solidarity and accompaniment. 

Humility is the foundation of Christian virtue. It brings us face to face with who we truly are in the eyes of God — infinitely loved, even in our weakness. Embracing this truth allows us to live in freedom, no longer defined by our sins, shortcomings nor achievements, and it compels us to see our neighbors in the same light. This humility shapes our service: We serve not from a place of superiority but from shared humanity. We recognize that we are all beggars before God’s mercy. 

Solidarity flows naturally from this. As St. Paul writes, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy” (1 Cor 12:26). We are members of the Mystical Body of Christ, and Catholic social teaching reminds us that we are responsible for the good of both the whole and each individual. This responsibility takes shape in our care for our neighbors, our commitment to community, and our pursuit of justice within our sphere of influence — responding to where the Father, through prayer, calls us to serve. 

And then there is accompaniment. The word itself comes from the Latin cum pane — meaning “with bread.” At its heart, to accompany someone is not only to walk with them, but to share bread — to share life. In the Christian life, accompaniment is more than mere presence or friendship. Its end, its telos, is communion — the giving and receiving of Christ, the Bread of Life. 

To follow Christ is not to serve from a distance, but to walk alongside others — especially those on the margins — as equals. The Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry recently started a new program called Frassati Service. We plan to offer opportunities for young adults to serve throughout the year. 

We had a group of 80 young adults join us for the first event in October, where we served with St. Charles Borromeo’s food and resource drive, led by Dr. Mesias Pedroza. We hope that many more young adults will participate in our future events and continue — in humility, solidarity, and accompaniment — to serve those in need in the great Houston area.  

For more information or to register for our next service opportunity, go to www.archgh.org/frassatiservice. ​

Neil Albaña serves as an associate director for the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry.