On Wednesday, October 22, JPII marked the Feast Day of our patron, Saint John Paul II, with a joyful tradition that has become a cornerstone of our school culture—a schoolwide Day of Service. Inspired by the saint’s powerful words, “The future starts today, not tomorrow,” students, faculty, and staff stepped into the community to serve others, embodying the SHIELD values that define the JPII mission.

“Our Day of Service is one of the most powerful expressions of who we are as a school," noted JPII President David Lima. "When our students step out into the community or onto our own campus to serve, they’re living the Gospel message in a very real way. It’s a day that reminds us that faith is meant to be shared through action.”

The day began with a school-wide Mass in the Athletic Center immediately followed by a Marian Procession. As students exited the building and processed around campus, they carried with them both reverence and purpose—ready to bring their faith to life through action. 

“Our students proudly represented our Catholic call to serve others with joyful hearts,” said Deacon Brent Heathcott, JPII campus minister, of JPII’s Day of Service. “Through our Mass, Marian Procession and then service, our students were living out our school’s core values of Service, Holiness, Integrity, Excellence, Leadership and Discipleship.”

From there, upper classmen service teams dispersed across Beaufort and Jasper Counties, joining local partners in projects that met real community needs. Students helped with cleaning and yardwork at the Sister’s House in Hardeeville, supported Lowcountry Outreach/St. Peter’s, worked on grounds and painting projects at the Maritime Center, sang at Okatie Pines to brighten residents’ day, and organized donations at Radiance Women’s Pregnancy Center to assist women in need. Others volunteered with St. Gregory the Great and Mercy Mission, serving neighbors with compassion and care.

Meanwhile, back on campus, students engaged in hands-on service projects that enhanced both school life and the greater community. They assembled toiletry kits for Mercy Mission, wrote letters to senior citizens, created a rain garden, worked in the school gardens, decorated grocery sacks, and refreshed various campus spaces with mulch and deep cleaning. These projects allowed students to contribute their time and talents right at home on the JPII campus.

The day concluded with lunch, where students returned from their service sites with tired hands, full hearts, and countless stories of connection and impact.

Through their collective efforts, the JPII community honored Saint John Paul II’s Feast Day in the most fitting way—by living out his call to serve with joy and courage. It was a day that reminded everyone that service isn’t just a lesson at JPII; it’s a way of life.