Campus Ministry
“It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society.”
– SAINT JOHN PAUL II
The goal of JPII Campus Ministry and Catholic Identity is to cultivate, inspire, and equip the students to live their call to holiness and lifelong missionary discipleship in today’s world. Our vibrant culture of service is demonstrated through our participation in the social mission of the Church and our emergence as a leader in Catholic youth ministry in the greater Collin County area.
As a school grounded in the Catholic tradition, we strive to support the spiritual formation of all members of the JPII community in a manner that is both inviting and respectful of each person’s faith tradition and personal experience. As such, Campus Ministry programs are open to persons of all faiths and denominations.
The Office of Campus Ministry and Catholic Identity oversees:
- Community Service Program
- Retreats
- All Masses
- Penance Services
- Eucharistic Adoration
- Bible Study
- Praise & Worship
- Prayer Services
- Peer Ministry
Our Campus Ministry Team
Nicholas Brandt
Director of Catholic Identity
Sherry Mehring
Freshman Service Coordinator
Jayme Baker-Nelson
Sophomore Service Coordinator
Hong Pham
Director of Community Service
Fr. Garrett Bockman
Chaplain
Community Service Requirements
Why do we serve? Living out our motto, “Seek to Serve”, students witness our Catholic faith by serving the last, the lost, and the least among us. Inspired by the Holy Spirit and guided by Catholic Social Teaching, they engage with those in need in our community, becoming Christ for others. Along the way, students discover their talents and gifts and how they can use them to build up the body of Christ for the greater glory of God.
All students are required to complete 2 hours of service per quarter, for a total of 8 hours for the year.
All hours are logged through our service database, Mobileserve.
Service Honor Cord
The Service Honor Cord is awarded upon graduation to students who have demonstrated their passion for service by going above and beyond in the community.
Qualifications for the award are as follows:
Freshman &
Sophomores: 200 hours by Senior year.
Juniors, and Seniors: 120 hours by Senior year (due to COVID-19 Pandemic).
Class Retreat Program
Background
The Catholic Church strongly recommends that an individual go on one spiritual retreat a year. Class retreats ensure that every student gets the opportunity to disconnect from their daily responsibilities and to reconnect with their most important relationships: with God, others, and themselves.
Goals
Every JPII Class Retreat will have the same three goals:
- Strengthen each individual’s relationship with God (spiritual formation)
- Provide ample recreation and fun to destress (emotional formation)
- Increase class unity (social formation)
Stair-Step Model
Each retreat is designed to build off the previous one, creating a specific narrative to the four years at JPII. Each retreat goes deeper into Catholic spirituality, offering more and more opportunities to find a mature relationship with God.
Retreat Program Overview
Freshman Retreat: "Seek"
Question: What is your heart really searching for? Explanation: This retreat is designed around a central question for Freshman starting their high school experience. So many questions are left unanswered: who will my friends be? What will I get involved in? What kind of person do I want to be? This retreat strives to provide answers: your heart is searching for love, truth, and beauty, and they can all be found perfectly in God.
Sophomore Retreat: “Unite”
Question: How can we all become the body of Christ as He wants us to be? Explanation: Now that the newness of high school has worn off, sophomores are challenged to take the next step in their spiritual maturation: loving one another as God loves them. Reflecting on St. Paul’s discourse on the body of Christ, students take time to recognize each other for their unique gifts and talents, all culminating in a meaningful activity to help them see God in their peers. Consequently, students will take a leap together to unite as members of the body of Christ.
Junior Retreat: “Grow”
Question: How can I grow into the saint I am called to be? Explanation: As budding leaders in the school, juniors need the time to evaluate their own personal strengths and weaknesses to see how they are meant to grow in the Lord. God wants to help in our areas of weakness, to heal our wounds, and to encourage our strengths, and this retreat will help the students do each of these things with the help of God.
Senior Retreat: “Send” Overnight Retreat
Question: What do we need from Christ as we are sent into the world? Explanation: Senior year is a time of ending and beginning. This retreat helps seniors focus on how to make the most of their final semester as school leaders, while preparing them for the next step in their spiritual lives beyond JPII. Christ is calling each senior to become a sent apostle, a joyful missionary disciple.
