Edwardsville — Inspired by Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy, Rachel Weaver’s sixth-grade class at St. Mary’s School recently devoted an entire school day putting the corporal works of mercy into practice as random acts of kindness.

After starting the day at Mass, students visited an Edwardsville fire station and the Glen Carbon Police Department to deliver cupcakes and other sweets to thank the first responders for keeping the communities safe.

Next, the students practiced “comforting the sick” by taking art supplies and small toys from a collection drive to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. While there, they handed out suckers tied with encouraging notes to people coming and going from the hospital.

“It felt so good to brighten people’s days,” said sixth-grader Maria Guehlstorf.

To practice “feed the hungry,” the students used monetary donations that they had collected to surprise a table of diners at City Diner by paying for their lunch.

The next stop was the Metro East Humane Society where they “sheltered the homeless” with donated pet food, blankets, towels and lots of love for the homeless animals there. The day was documented by parent chaperones who will be creating a scrapbook of the entire experience for the upcoming St. Mary’s School Auction. While the scrapbook will surely entice some high bids, for the St. Mary’s sixth-graders, their Random Acts of Kindness Day will be a priceless memory.