Bishop Gorman students help organize donations of canned goods for distribution to those in need through St. Vincent de Paul. (Contributed Photo)

In recognition of All Saints Day, Bishop Gorman Catholic School engaged students in a meaningful Day of Service on Nov. 1, focusing on the seven corporal works of mercy.

The day, dedicated to honoring those who have reached heaven, encouraged the young missionaries to embody compassion and community support through hands-on activities aimed at uplifting those in need.

“It’s a Holy Day of obligation,” said Dr. Gregory Stewart, English department chair and professor. “It’s where you are expected to go beyond your Sunday obligations.”

Observed on Nov. 1, All Saints Day is a solemn feast in the Catholic Church, honoring all saints, known and unknown, who have reached heaven. The celebration begins on the evening of Oct. 31 with the Vigil of All Saints and continues throughout Nov. 1. It is a day to recognize not only the saints officially canonized by the church, but also all those made whole through the promise of everlasting life, honoring everyone who has entered into eternal communion with God.

Maguire, who is in her first year of teaching at Bishop Gorman, appreciates the kind of students she teaches.

“These are very special children,” she said. “They are honest, kind, loving… they come from families who care.”

In the spirit of this day, the school’s Day of Service provided an opportunity for students and faculty to live out the call to care for others through the corporal works of mercy.

“In the Book of Matthew, Catholics are called to perform seven corporal works of mercy,” said Sherry Maguire, the middle school English teacher at Bishop Gorman. “I thought, ‘We have seven grades, and there are seven corporal works of mercy… why don’t we just do them?’”

The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, derived from Matthew 25:35-40, are: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, and burying the dead. These actions reflect Jesus’ call to care for those in need: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in; I needed clothes and you clothed me; I was sick and you looked after me; I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

To honor those who have passed, students prayed for the deceased at Rose Lawn Cemetery and spent time cleaning up the grounds. Instead of visiting the sick and imprisoned directly, the middle school students created cards for the sick, while high school students wrote letters of prayer for those in prison. The students also collected canned goods, which were donated to St. Vincent de Paul, located at 500 S. Vine Avenue in Tyler.

“What a perfect day and what a beautiful opportunity to let these future Saints and missionaries see how it’s done,” Stewart said.

The school’s mission to “form future Saints and missionaries” has been a guiding force for Maguire.

“How do you do that? You do it by empowering them… saying ‘hey, you’re only 13 but you can contribute to the world. You can donate a can of corn, you can pray over someone in need,’” she said.

All 227 students across the campus actively participated in various acts of service, demonstrating a unified commitment to making a positive impact on their community.

“Our faith tells us that it’s important to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned… just doing works like that to strengthen our faith,” said senior Alexa Remigio.

According to Maguire, the school logged 450 volunteer hours in one day and stocked the Feed My Lambs pantry for an entire month. The card and letter-writing campaign will continue through Christmas, with the goal of reaching 500 individuals in need.

“It’s very fulfilling knowing that not only is it helping out people here, but it’s in part contributing to how I live my life with God and that I’m able to serve him in a way that I’m helping him through his people,” Remigio said. “That is very important to me.”

“I think it’s really powerful being able to do this at a young age and see how I should live my life going forward,” said senior Ryan Richburg.

Reflecting on the importance of service and compassion, Richburg expressed his heartfelt hope for those who may feel isolated or overlooked.

“Even if they feel alone in this world, they know that somebody’s praying for them, someone’s looking out for them and someone really wants them to excel,” he said.

Throughout the day, the students were reminded of the deeper calling behind their service, an invitation to love and serve others selflessly.

“We’re called to serve and as students here, there is a lot of emphasis on service as well,” Remigio said. “If anything, I think we’re here to be loved and love the other people around us, and the best way for us to do that is by giving up our time, doing as much as we can because God calls on us to be selfless.”

Principal John Kimec described it as a “truly great day” for Bishop Gorman.

“These are the days that define our mission to form Saints and Missionaries,” he said. “While we could not be more proud of our students and their many accomplishments, a day like this serves as a true reminder of why we do what we do. My deepest gratitude to Sherry Maguire, who planned this day from start to finish, the Theology Department, and to all of the staff who worked to coordinate this day, a day of truly living our mission.”