Your Diocese

ROMEOVILLE, IL — Accomplished child rights advocates, leadership specialists, authors and public speakers, the Kielburger brothers, Craig and Marc, agreed that they practice their Catholic faith through service to others. Their “me to we” philosophy helps people achieve happiness through making positive contributions rather than acquiring material items.

Craig, 23, is the founder of Free the Children, the world’s largest network of children helping children through education. Marc, 29, serves as chief executive officer of the Toronto-based association. He also founded Leaders Today, an internationally recognized youth leadership training organization.

The two stated in an e-mail message to Your Diocese that their desire to empower others stems from the Catholic values that their parents passed down to them in their childhood. The pair grew up in Thornhill, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto.

Thinking back, Craig said their mother would often stop and talk to the homeless on the city streets. “It wasn’t until later in life that I understood that (her actions were for) our benefit … She was teaching us that everyone matters and everyone counts,” he stated.

The examples of their parents resonated with these two who would one day impact the lives of millions of young people and others in desperate need of food, water, health care and education. The authors of “Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World,” Marc and Craig learned the Christian values of gratitude and empathy under the tutelage of their parents, stated Craig, who holds a bachelor’s degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Toronto.

Throughout their high school and college years, the family would volunteer at food banks and homeless shelters during the boys’ Christmas breaks from school. “We learned about the alternatives to material gifts … that you could donate the money that you would have spent on gifts to your favorite charity, or that you could make a gift that came from your heart,” stated Craig. “Our mother still often reminds us that the holiday season is a time of reflection and sharing,” he added.

As youngsters, the boys would often shovel their neighbors’ driveways in the early morning hours. The two were especially thrilled by the joy of the people when they discovered that the snow had already been cleared away for them. “Doing something nice for someone should also be about having fun. That way both of you feel happy,” said Craig.

Marc, who holds a law degree with an emphasis on human rights from Oxford University, stressed that his family’s traditions of serving others, especially during the Christmas season, spurred the brothers’ desire to help others across the world.

Reflecting upon their childhood, Marc said that as young boys, the two would anxiously await the arrival of Christmas Day and the toys and games that accompanied it. “But our parents made sure that the commercialization of Christmas did not take over the real reason why we celebrate,” said Marc.

With numerous hours of academic studies and fieldwork in the realm of serving others under their belts, the two brothers shared some suggestions for helping make the Christmas season a little brighter for other people. The brothers agreed that flipping through a newspaper could spark many ideas for assisting people in difficult situations. Most periodicals delve into local, national and international concerns. “As a result, (we) see the newspaper as a menu filled with issues that we need to have people take action on,” Marc said.

The Kielburger brothers often suggest that people host holiday parties for friends and others who might not have any plans during the Christmas season. “It’s incredible to see so many people come together,” stated Marc, mulling over the various Christmas parties he has hosted for others in past years.

In the meantime, winter vacations abroad geared toward helping people in impoverished regions of the world, such as Kenya and Ecuador, work to strengthen family bonds, the two brothers agreed.

Smaller scale ideas that the two activists often suggest to those looking to get more out of the Christmas season include giving bigger than usual tips to waiters and waitresses at restaurants. Other possibilities are sharing time with elderly residents or relatives living in the community and giving socially responsible fair-trade items as gifts, including chocolates or organically grown flowers.

“The holiday season is a time to get together with friends and family, to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to cherish the company of others,” stated Marc. He suggested ways to honor Christ’s mission. “When getting together for a (Christmas) dinner party, why not make it a modest one and volunteer at a soup kitchen afterwards?” Instead of buying presents for each other, he suggested that individuals could make donations to charitable causes in the name of friends or relatives.

Groups of people could also collect the money that would have been used to purchase gifts for each other to be donated to a specific charity, according to Marc. Helping others “will create a special bond between friends while making a difference in the lives of others.”