A Higher Calling to Lead
Amate House’s mission is to develop young adult leaders into life-long social justice advocates who serve their communities while deepening their faith. Amate House aspires to build a more just and loving society through leadership development for the Church and the world.
What It Means to Put Love Into Action
Amate House was established in 1984 as a leadership program for young adults by three seminarians from the Archdiocese of Chicago, along with other lay and religious men and women, with the objective of transformation through service. The founders chose the name “Amate,” the Latin imperative “to love,” because they envisioned a program in which young adult fellows would put “love into action,” and answer the call to holiness by providing support and leadership service to fulfill the needs of the city and the Archdiocese of Chicago.
In addition to a vocation of service, Amate House emphasizes the personal, professional, and spiritual development of its fellows, creating passionate leaders for our church and world through social justice leadership development.
Our Tenets
Service
Fellows serving with Amate House experience deep personal and professional growth through direct service roles at Chicago-area nonprofit organizations. Our fellows serve in a variety of fields, including education, health education and outreach, hunger and homelessness services, legal aid, nursing, physical therapy, and service to the elderly, youth, and immigrant populations.
Community
Amate House fellows live closely as a faith-based intentional community. Our emphasis on community stems from our belief that no one stands alone. The joys and challenges of living in community provide the foundation for a year of transformation.
Faith
Fellows gain a deeper understanding of how their faith calls them to have a life-long commitment to standing with the marginalized. Amate House uses Catholic Social Teaching to explore the connection between faith and our universal call to serve.
Social Justice
Amate House is committed to engaging with and understanding social justice problems in Chicago, especially working to combat racism, educational inequality, and poverty. Fellows engage with these issues day-to-day at their service sites and learn about their historic significance at programming throughout the year.
Stewardship
Amate House fellows gain a greater perspective of their impact on the global community. Through living simply and valuing their resources, fellows take a step away from the consumer culture that has been cultivated in today’s society.
”We serve on the margins not to make a difference, but so those on the margins make us different.
Fr. Greg Boyle
More “About” Information
Prepare to Lead at Amate House
Amate House is where community leaders and life-long advocates are developed. Take the next step in your journey for a more just and loving society by contacting us today.