On Aug. 31, the first day of school, students at Our Lady of Mercy School in Potomac made a promise that will remain in their hearts and memories.

Two-hundred and thirty from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade promised to “walk with Francis” by participating in monthly service to others throughout the year. As a school, they also challenged St. John the Evangelist School in D.C. to see which school will be the most successful.

The children created a banner with signed footprints which surround a heart. They lined up for a photo with the cardboard cutout of the Pontiff and recited the following “Walk with Francis” Pledge: “Together, with our prayer partners, we pledge to Walk with Francis by participating in monthly service projects that spotlight the Corporal Works of Mercy. Individually, we pledge to incorporate the Spiritual Works of Mercy in our daily lives.” The new pastor of Our Lady of Mercy, the Rev. Bill Byrne and his dog Roo greeted them along with the Rev. Don Worch, the Rev. Chris Seith and the new school principal, Debbie Thomas.

From Sept. 22 - 24, Pope Francis will be here in D.C. on his first visit to the U.S. He will be the first Pope to speak before a joint session of Congress. He will visit the White House, meet with U.S. bishops at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle and celebrate Mass from the east portico of the Shrine of the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. During the Mass, he will canonize Junípero Serra, an 18th-century Franciscan friar who founded missions in California.

The Archdiocese of Washington initiated the Pledge in hope that it would take off nationwide, much as the ALS Association “Icebucket Challenge” did. Cardinal Donald Wuerf of Washington D.C. said, “The ‘Walk with Francis’ Pledge offers people the opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with the Holy Father and answer his call to bring Christ’s love, mercy and hope to others, especially those on the margins of society. The goal is to allow everyone in this community to enter into a physical tangible way of helping others so that we can offer that as our gift to the Pope. Pledges can vary from person to person — it’s simple, flexible and measurable. They can give money to charity, pray more, perform acts of service or promote Church teachings.”

Our Lady of Mercy School students will be participating each month in acts of service. The school will sponsor projects and each class will also brainstorm ideas for service — and many individual students and families will also create their own meaningful volunteer opportunities.

The school has always been service oriented; students have been volunteering for service for many years. According to Vice Principal/8th grade teacher Frank English, “Last year, students assembled ‘breakfast-to-go’ bags for Cup of Joe, a Catholic Charities service commitment in which the homeless are given a breakfast bag to take them when they must leave the shelter each day.” They also assembled Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets, helped out in a women’s shelter and played basketball with Special Olympians. Eighth grade students Ellie Brewer,

Maggie Baker and Henry Sullivan each spent part of their summer vacation serving as volunteers. Ellie attended a camp where the emphasis was on volunteerism, Maggie helped out at the Byron House and Henry served as a mentor for younger children through his Leadership Training Program.

When asked what they like about Pope Francis, Ellie replied, “His mission as a leader is to make changes and a difference in our world — and he is doing exactly that. Maggie said that “All people know about him and what a wonderful Pope he is,” and Henry said, “He is such a positive role model for the Catholic Church.”

Students will also create a video of their service projects during the year as a remembrance of this special year. The banner will hang on the wall all year to remind students to “Walk with Francis.” As Thomas said, “The walk with Francis and the emphasis on service projects will set the tone for the year. We are excited that students will learn the values that come from giving of themselves — and that their pledge to do service will continue throughout their lives.”