Faith-Life

“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, making the world more human and more fraternal.” -- Pope Saint John Paul II (World Youth Day, 2000 A.D.)

Essential to the mission of Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School is the formation of the whole person in the image of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. The height of all human progress is in the pursuit of holiness by which our thoughts, desires, hopes, actions, and wills are conformed to that of God by His own action. Architecturally, this is visibly seen at St. John Paul by the primacy of the Chapel at the heart of our school. As the Chapel is the center of the school, so too is our faith-life and campus ministry extended into all aspects of our school community: Classrooms, clubs, sport teams, art, theater, service, and House system! Our life in the school extends from both the Chapel and our Faith.

We strive for holiness under the patronage of both Pope Saint John Paul the Great and Saint Dominic. As seekers of the Truth (Veritas) and joyful preachers who loved Christ and His Church, these two saints offer much for our spiritual development. Pope Saint John Paul II encourages us to “make a radical choice of faith and life” so that we can live by the call of the Gospel to “do not be afraid!” The Dominican tradition emphasizes the need for our cooperation with God’s grace to return (Reditus) and respond (Religio) to God’s call who is both the source of all that is good and is our ultimate perfection.

This pursuit of holiness in faith-formation is carried out in the four Dominican pillars of prayer, study, community, and service. As a school, we strive to grow in wisdom and holiness by leading lives rooted in Christ and in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

PRAYER:

Mass	“The font and apex of the Christian life” (Lumen Gentium, 11), the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated daily before school begins. As a school community, we typically attend Mass on Wednesdays or on a Solemnity every week. Masses are also offered for the various clubs and sports teams on campus as requested.
Confession	Available through our full-time Chaplain by appointment or scheduled confessions during the school lunches. A penance service is provided every Advent and Lent so all students may make a worthy preparation for Christmas and Easter.
Adoration	Offered weekly on Fridays. Parents of our students are invited to participate in praying for the school during the lunchtimes on Adoration days.
Devotions	Rosaries, Divine Mercy Chaplets, and other devotions are offered throughout the year, some even weekly, as announced and through our school clubs.

STUDY:

Academics	God created us with an intellect that is deepened through study so that we might come to know God better both in what is revealed and through the world that He has created. We cultivate self-discipline and a desire to encounter Veritas (the truth) in all subjects of study. Our strong academic program seeks to enable students to expand their ability to think clearly in and outside of the classroom. We hold to the axiom: “Faith seeking understanding” (Fides quaerens intellectum) which teaches us that as one searches for truth, one will find God, the Source of all Truth.
Private Prayer	Science is the seeking of knowledge; self-knowledge is learned through experiences but also through prayer where our hearts and desires are molded by God. In learning how to pray, each individual learns more about God and about themselves as unique and beloved children of God. Having the Chapel in the middle of the school gives our whole community the opportunity to foster and develop a personal prayer life throughout the day.
Daily	We begin and conclude our day of academics as a school daily in prayer asking for God’s guidance and thanking Him for His gifts.

COMMUNITY:

Retreats	Offered annually for each class, retreats at St. John Paul High School provide an opportunity for students to grow deeper in communion with God and in community with each other.
House System	Just as the early Christians lived their faith in union with one another, the JP community strives to provide a welcoming place where students, teachers, families, staff, and administrators can grow in truth and love by sharing a life of faith especially in our House System.
Trips	Offered: World Youth Day, Ladies’ trip to the Mother House of the Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville. Pilgrimages have and will continue to be offered as possible.

SERVICE:

As a School	Classes, Houses, Clubs, and other groups organize various charitable drives to help our local communities
Clubs	There is a dedicated club on campus that organizes and goes out into the community quarterly to serve. The forms of service vary, but they cover the whole range of works of mercy lived and preached by Jesus Christ.
Mission Trips	Our beloved annual mission trip to Banica is offered in the summer each year.