Jim Dippold, campus ministry director at Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Waukegan,
recently won the Heart of School award from the Archdiocese of Chicago, but Viatorians have known him to be a winner all along.
Since Dippold arrived at the school, he has partnered with Viatorians on staff — including Br. Michael Gosch, CSV, a social worker, and Fr. Charles Bolser, CSV, the school’s first president — to further the Cristo Rey mission of empowering teens of limited means and connecting them with opportunities.
In fact, Dippold was one of 18 teachers chosen — out of 545 nominations — and one of only two to win the Heart of Connection award, for his efforts in actively seeking to build connections between the community and the school.
“Jim models what it means to be a true “person for others,” says Preston Kendall, CRSM president. “He infuses all he does in ministry, community service, service trips, retreats, prayer services, and masses with so much love, compassion, and energy that it’s contagious!”
Dippold regularly brings CRSM students to Taize prayer services at Saint Viator High School and he was among the first delegation leaders to accompany teens to the Viatorian Youth Congress. He also worked with Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, to design the Bridges retreat, which takes place every two years and brings together teens from Saint Viator and Cristo Rey St. Martin’s to learn about each other and overcome barriers.
“Jim Dippold cares deeply for his students as individuals and sees within them unique talents that he works to help them bring out to serve the community,” says Fr. Corey Brost, CSV, founder of the Children of Abraham, a suburban Chicago coalition of Muslims, Jews and Christians working for interfaith peace. “He hears the call God offers each one to play a unique role in healing the world and helps each student hear that call through his invitation for them to be involved in retreats and service.”