Works of Mercy
As you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” – John 17:18
At graduation the Aquinas student will have a firm understanding of the beliefs of the Catholic faith, its sacramental system, organization, practices, and spirituality. The student will be prepared and committed to exemplify a personal and professional life reflecting this Catholic foundation. The individual will have developed the basis for personal spiritual growth and a deeper love of God, demonstrated by love of neighbor in the social setting.
WOM Requirements:
All Aquinas students are required to serve others through Works of Mercy. For the 26-27 school year, students will need to log 20 hours of Corporal Works of Mercy and 4 Spiritual Works of Mercy between now and March 2027.
At least half of the hours need to be completed by the end of the first semester. Many students may complete all this summer! We will also offer organized opportunities to serve on several Saturdays during the school year.
Works of Mercy- Spiritual and Corporal
The Spiritual Works of Mercy respond to spiritual needs. We encourage students to complete four different spiritual Works of Mercy. Acceptable examples include the following:
- Pray a rosary with a friend or family member for a specific intention of/for others.
- Volunteer to help with vacation bible school or religious education at your church.
- Invite a friend to attend a daily Mass with you.
- Pray a litany of the saints with a friend or family member.
- Spend an hour in adoration.
- Attend a bible study at your church.
- Pray the Stations of the Cross.
- Attend a Wednesday night church service.
- Go to confession.
The Corporal Works of Mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise. Corporal works respond to the basic needs of humanity.
Corporal Works of Mercy will be divided into 3 categories: Home, Community (school and church), and Missions (including organizations that provide for the entire community). Acceptable examples include the following:
- Home: unpaid service to family or neighbor, completing a task that is not included in your “chores”
- Community: planning a spiritual activity, volunteering at your church, volunteering at St Mary school, liturgical function, participating in a “clean-up” at school or in your parish
- Mission: working with a local organization that provides a need or service to the marginalized within our community, or other mission trips. (All mission trips that you want to count as corporal hours needs to be approved through Mrs. Samaha, ksamaha@aquinashigh.org.)
Students can log up to 2 hours for Home service per semester, and up to 4 hours for Community per semester. Four hours each semester should be Mission oriented. Mission hours can take the place of Home and Community hours, i.e. If you attend camp with the Missionaries of Charity (20 mission and 4 spiritual), you do not have to go back and complete home and community.
Students who do not complete WOM hours by the semester deadlines will not be able to participate in any school extracurricular activities until they are complete.
Summer opportunities # of hours:
- Missionaries of Charity – 20 mission and 4 spiritual
- Prayer and Action Camp – 20 mission and 4 spiritual
- Golden Harvest shift this summer – 3 mission per visit
- Mass choir – 1 community for each Mass if you attend choir practices and fully participate at Mass
- Tuesday or Thursday morning Mass prayed for someone in particular and followed up with a note – 1 spiritual
- Pro-Life Holy Hour – Every Wednesday 6p.m. – 7p.m. at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church in the main sanctuary -1 spiritual
- Prayer groups/Bible studies – 1 spiritual per meeting
All mission trips that you want to count as corporal hours needs to be approved through Mrs. Samaha, ksamaha@aquinashigh.org.
Check weekly reminders or Aquinas website for upcoming opportunities.
How to record WOM:
- Log into your PowerSchool account using your Chromebook or the app.
- Find the forms section in the menu. (On your Chromebook, the menu is on the left side. If you are using the app, click the More option at the bottom (…) and then forms.)
- Open 2026-2027 Works of Mercy Tracking.
- Fill in all of the columns. Use the “add row” button when needed.
Please wear an Aquinas shirts to corporal works when possible.
| Date | Time | Project | Work of Mercy | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ongoing events on Saturdays | 9 am- 12 pm | Project Refresh | Corporal | Email Tracy Showman at volunteer@projectrefreshinc.com to sign up |
| First Saturday of Each Month | 10:30ish-12:30 | Rosary Maker’s Ministry | Corporal and Spiritual | Drop in at Most Holy Trinity parish: 2 Mission hours and 2 Spiritual works if you begin at 10:00am with Mass |
| Various Dates | Various Times | Golden Harvest Volunteer Program. | Corporal | Many of your Corporal Hours can be completed through the Golden Harvest Volunteer Program. Go to their website, https://goldenharvest.org/volunteer/ and register. You can find all types of opportunities and sign up for the times you would be able to serve. Get a group of friends to go with you. |
| May 29 | 8am-until? | Move Furniture Work Day | Corporal | |
| June 14-19 | Prayer and Action Camp in Savannah | Spiritual & Corporal | Closed | |
| June 1-5 | VBS Volunteer at St. Theresa’s | Spiritual & Corporal | https://www.st-teresa.com/religious-education/faith-formation/children-s-formation-grades/296-vbs | |
| June 6 | 7:00-11am | Gigi’s Playhouse Augusta Sign Up and Run 5K OR Sign up to volunteer | 3 Corporal Hours to run! | To Run, Sign up Here: https://gigisplayhouse.donordrive.com/Augusta-5K-26 To Volunteer to help (15 people needed): Asking all volunteers to arrive at the Mill Village Trailhead (109 Eve Street, Augusta, GA) by 6:30 AM on Saturday, June 6th, and they will likely be there until around noon. Reach out ASAP at either this email: smohammed@gigisplayhouse.org or by texting with their name at the number: 4703835207. |
| June 22-25 | 8:30-1:30 | VBS Volunteer at St. Mary on the Hill | Spiritual & Corporal | Sign up HERE |
| June 29 | 10:00-12:00 | Homeless Ministry | Corporal | Most Holy Trinity Parish (720 Telfair St.) Packing bags for the homeless. |
| June 30 | 9:00-10:00 | Homeless Ministry | Corporal | May Park, 622 4th St. distributing the bags packed on June 29. |
Golden Harvest Food Bank:
Students must bring in a signed waiver from their parent/guardian on the day of their volunteer shift. This can also be completed online if the individual student registers with their own profile and account through the GHFB registration system.
Project Refresh:
Complete waiver Form 1and 2 for Project Refresh and bring with you on the day of service.
Dress Code for GHFB and Project Refresh:
- Volunteers should be at least 8 years old. Anyone under 13 needs to be signed up by a guardian.
- Volunteers should be comfortable standing for 2-3 hours in an assembly line and lifting 5-10 pounds repeatedly.
- Please dress in comfortable, casual clothes that can get dirty/sweaty and comfortable shoes for standing.
- CLOSED TOED shoes are required for safety when working in the warehouse. No sandals or flip flops please.
- To protect the safety of our volunteers and provide a positive environment, Golden Harvest requires the following dress code of volunteers: closed toed shoes, no leggings, no sleeveless, skirts and shorts must be no shorter than fingertip length at the minimum. (no gym shorts, short shorts, or leggings)
- Volunteers who come inappropriately dressed will be asked to change or leave before their shift.
Opportunities to Volunteer On Your Own
Click on the name of the organization below to learn more about it.
Augusta Locally Grown
This is an opportunity to help grow local foods throughout the CSRA. Their Farmer’s Markets are always looking for volunteers. Contact them at the email address community@auagustalocallygrown.org
Augusta Animal Services
This is an organization sponsoring responsible pet ownership in Richmond County. They love volunteers who are willing to walk and socialize dogs and cats and to help with events. Please call (706) 709-6836 to schedule a volunteer orientation and time to volunteer.
Belle Terrace Community Garden
Contact them at the email address Btpcgarden@gmail.com (subject line- volunteer)
This is an opportunity to help with a church community garden to aid in the nourishment of the community’s family’s minds, bodies, and souls. They are looking for individuals to help with watering, weeding, and harvesting.
Catholic Social Services
https://www.cssaugustathriftstore.com/volunteer
Working in the Thrift Store
Compass for Hope
https://compassforhope.org
Please call (706) 589-0694 to get involved.
Helping the homeless in Augusta:
Need volunteers every week. Specific responsibilities include greeting guests, possible parking lot clean up, unpacking the toiletry items to be given away, setting up the line with the day’s bounty to give, and handing out clothes. Sunday morning serving & clean up: 10:30-12:30
Garden City Rescue Mission
This is an organization serving the unsheltered and in-need in the Augusta area. Volunteers are needed to provide meals and to work in the warehouse. Call (706) 724-6960 to volunteer.
Golden Harvest Food Bank (3310 Commerce Drive)
www.goldenharvest.org
Sign up at https://goldenharvest.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities/
We believe that everyone in our community should have enough nutritious food to live a happy, healthy life. We strive to increase access to healthy food and foster long-term stability for neighbors in need with the help of our donors, partners, and volunteers.
HUB for Community Innovation
This is an opportunity to serve with an organization with multiple programs.
Masters Table Soup Kitchen (701 Fenwick Street)
https://volunteers.goldenharvest.org/agency/detail/?agency_id=126070
Providing meals for the less fortunate through Golden Harvest Food Bank
We welcome volunteers to help prepare and serve a daily meal. During shift #1 (meal prep), volunteers will help with meal preparation in the kitchen. No cooking skills required. During shift #2 (meal service), volunteers will help serve lunch to our guests.
Schedule: Volunteer Days: 7 days a week, Shifts: 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (meal prep), 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (meal service)
Phinizy Nature Park
https://phinizycenter.org/volunteer/
Are you looking for a way to enjoy nature and make a difference? Volunteers are always welcome at Phinizy Center! They have a variety of ongoing opportunities that fit different skill levels, interests, and time commitments.
Check out their Volunteer Work Days HERE.
For more information on volunteering, please call 706-396-1418 or email kim.dillard@phinizycenter.org.
Project Refresh
https://www.projectrefreshinc.com
Founded in July of 2020, Project Refresh, Inc. is a non-profit organization that believes that access to a refreshing shower is a basic human right that no one should be denied. Contact them via email at volunteer@projectrefreshinc.com
Ronald McDonald House
This is an opportunity to work with and to serve families who have family members in the hospital.
Contact them at https://rmhcaugusta.org/get-involved-2/volunteer-2/
Salvation Army Center for Hope
This is an organization serving those in need. They have multiple opportunities to volunteer. Please sign up on their online calendar at https://salvationarmyaugusta.galaxydigital.com/need
Savannah River Keeper
This is an opportunity to serve with several different groups in order to keep our community and waterways clean! Contact them via email at https://www.savannahriverkeeper.org/
Via Cognitive Health (on Washington Road across from California Dreaming)
Sign up https://www.viacognitivehealth.org/get-involved/volunteer/
Via Cognitive Health (on Washington Road across from California Dreaming) offers programming for individuals diagnosed with a cognitive decline disorder like Dementia or Alzheimer’s to engage in mental and physical exercise and socialization in order to promote a higher level of cognitive functioning for longer. This beautiful new facility opened in June 2024. They need our help in a couple of ways:
- Front desk coverage one day each week from 4- 6 p.m.
- Spend an hour or two with guests playing board games, reading, serving as a lunch buddy (listening and talking), etc. This is an easy, rewarding way to make someone’s day! Ideally, we are looking for students to commit to serving multiple times throughout the summer.
The front desk opportunity is also available from 4-6 during the school year. The address is 105 Lutheran Drive, Augusta 30907
Most Holy Trinity
Rosary Makers on the first Satuday of each month. Earn 2 Mission hours and 2 Spiritual works if you begin at 10 with Mass, and work on Rosaries until 12:30.
Help the homeless by packing bags for them on June 29th in St. Francis Hall from 10:00am – 12:00pm. Get another Mission hour on June 30th at 9:00am in May Park, 622 4th St. to distribute the bags.
Works of Mercy opportunities that are not listed must have prior approval. Service for family members/neighbors is not going to count toward Works of Mercy service hours. Also, helping your team with a summer camp for kids is considered team member responsibility and not service.
