By Victor Jose Jaimes, Jesuit Volunteer Corps Alum
Many of my college friends entered Catholic volunteer programs after graduation. As a Lasallian university grad, most of them joined the Lasallian Volunteers — but I yearned for something bigger. I decided to join the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and journey to Philadelphia.
What drew me there was rooted in my undergraduate years. Living in intentional living-learning communities my sophomore, junior, and senior years had shown me what was possible when people gathered around shared faith and purpose. The late-night conversations, the meaningful relationships, the sense of belonging — I didn’t want that to end. Postgrad service felt like the natural way to carry it forward.
And it delivered. I made a point of exploring everything Philly and the Northeast had to offer rather than staying within my “JVC bubble,” and I met extraordinary people along the way. My fondest memory is New Year’s 2019 — my girlfriend (now wife!) and I drove up to Harlem for a party at the local JV house. At 11:55 pm, we climbed to the roof and watched the Times Square Ball Drop from across the skyline. Moments like that reminded me that a life of service doesn’t mean a small life. If anything, it opened mine wide open.
I still keep in touch with many of those friends today. But beyond the relationships, that year gave me something harder to name — space. Space to reset, to ask the questions that really matter: What is the greatest need in the world? What is my deepest gladness? For me, the answers pointed clearly toward pastoral ministry. That year of prayer and discernment brought me back to a truth I’ve carried ever since: that we are all whole, complete, and lacking in nothing — and that serving others is one of the most powerful ways to live into that.
That year didn’t just shape my future. It showed me I could help shape others.
Learn more about the Jesuit Volunteer Corps.
