Mercy Academy and St. X students unite for a day of service and remembrance

A group of people, some wearing colorful clothing, are gathered on a grassy field, engaged in what appears to be an outdoor activity or event.

Sep 22 2025

A spirit of compassion and collaboration was on full display on Saturday, Sept. 20, as students from Mercy Academy and St. Xavier High School came together for a meaningful day of service. Through their involvement in the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society, students from both schools spent their morning at Meadow View Cemetery in Louisville, working to ensure dignity and remembrance for those often forgotten.

A group of people, both adults and children, are gathered in a grassy outdoor area surrounded by trees, with a car visible in the background.

In preparation for Mercy Day and St. X Spirit Week, the students worked side by side to locate long-hidden temporary grave markers and replace them with permanent concrete headstones. Their efforts honored the memory of 40 indigent and homeless individuals, transforming unmarked graves into lasting symbols of care and respect.

The St. Joseph of Arimathea Society lives out the works of mercy to Pray for the Living and the Dead and also to Bury the Dead. In partnership with Meadow View Cemetery, Mercy students have discerned and made commitments to join this ministry in the work of leading burial services, serving as pallbearers, including the deceased in their prayer intentions, fundraising to purchase and place headstones on unmarked graves, and volunteering in education and service needs.

The image shows several rectangular concrete slabs or gravestones with inscriptions in a dark, somber setting.

Working together for a shared cause, students from Mercy Academy and St. Xavier honored lives once forgotten: living the works of mercy, seeking the common good, and ensuring every name is remembered.

To learn more about campus ministry opportunities through Mercy Academy, click here.