Amate House

Amate House is a volunteer organization based in Chicago that is run through the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.

History

Amate House began in 1984 as a program enabling young adults to respond in service to the needs of the city and Archdiocese of Chicago, while participating together in a community living environment and in opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Founded by three Archdiocesan seminarians and a host of other lay and religious men and women, Amate House began as an opportunity for young adult lay persons to live out the vocation to be of love and service to others, while benefiting from a supportive staff and program designed to enable them to grow as more effective leaders for the Church and world. Amate is a Latin word meaning “the imperative to love” – or, as we translate it, “love in action.”

Since 1984, young adults from the Chicago area, from around the United States, and occasionally from around the world, have lived together for a year with a shared commitment to faith-based community living and 35-40 hours weekly of volunteer service work. In exchange for their efforts, they receive opportunities for spiritual growth and leadership development, room and board, modest stipends, and health insurance.

Mission

The mission of Amate House is two-fold. First, Amate House exists to enhance the faith development and leadership of young adult men and women by providing challenging and rewarding service and ministry experiences to those in need, a vibrant experience of faith-based community living, and opportunities designed to encourage personal, professional and spiritual growth. Second, Amate House provides highly motivated and skilled young adults as full-time volunteers to social service agencies, schools and parishes in underserved areas throughout the city and Archdiocese of Chicago.

Locations

After seven years of building a solid foundation, Amate House opened the doors to a second Amate House program in conjunction with DePaul University in 1991. The DePaul House continues Amate's focus on the development of young adults and on volunteer service to community agencies and parishes throughout the city. Amate House DePaul Volunteers are full-time DePaul University students who commit to at least 6 hours of volunteer service work weekly, while participating in faith-based community living and formational opportunities during the school year.

In 1999, Amate House opened its doors once again to a new vision of service by opening Amate House-Little Village, in collaboration with six Catholic parishes in this largely Mexican-American neighborhood southwest of downtown Chicago. Amate House-Little Village Volunteers live and serve in the same community, working together with parishes, schools and social service agencies in the area where they live, with a special emphasis on work with youth and young adults and with the Spanish-speaking population of the surrounding community. The Volunteers share in the mission of Amate House by performing full-time direct service, while participating in opportunities for personal, professional and spiritual growth.

Once again, in 2003, Amate House initiated a new program in Woodlawn, at the former St. Gelasius Rectory building, to expand its service to the city and Archdiocese to the South side of the city. In 2004, the Amate House South moved to its newest location in the McKinley Park neighborhood, and occupies the former St. Maurice Convent.

Also in 2004, the North house moved to the Uptown neighborhood. Currently, nine Amate volunteers are living next to St. Mary of the Lake Parish.