Faith in Action
Campus Ministry at JPII
Campus Ministry at Pope John Paul II High School invites students to actively live their faith through prayer, worship, service, and participation in their local church communities. Inspired by the charism of St. John Paul II, our program encourages students to grow spiritually, serve others, and become courageous witnesses of Christ in the world.
Living the Gospel
Campus Ministry & Courageous Faith
We are not a parish high school. Therefore, we strongly encourage students to actively participate in their church. Fortunately, we are surrounded by wonderful parishes and other communities of faith where our students continue to build their relationship with God through courageous ministry.
Campus ministry is an integral part of the educational process at Pope John Paul II High School. Through the charism of our namesake, Pope St. John Paul II, our program is designed to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to its students and families, to build up the body of Christ in the community, and to promote social justice through service to others.
Campus Ministry, through courageous ministry, draws the entire community into responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Church. To accomplish these outcomes, the school offers liturgies, retreats, and service.
Faith • Community • Leadership
Retreats That Inspire Faith, Character, and Community
At Pope John Paul II High School, retreats are an essential part of every student's spiritual journey. Rooted in the teachings and charism of Pope St. John Paul II, our retreats provide meaningful opportunities to grow in faith, build lasting relationships, reflect on personal values, and discover God's presence in everyday life. Each retreat experience is thoughtfully designed to help students pursue truth, act virtuously, and become compassionate leaders within their communities.
Retreats at Pope John Paul II High School offer students dedicated time away from daily routines to pray, reflect, and connect more deeply with God and one another. Guided by peer and adult leaders, students encounter an environment of trust, support, and authentic conversation that encourages spiritual growth and personal discovery.
Centered on the school's three foundational educational pillars Pursuing Truth, Acting Virtuously, and Building Community each retreat invites students to explore their Catholic identity, strengthen relationships, and embrace lives of faith-filled service and leadership.
Freshman Retreat
Building Community
“None of us is alone in this world; each of us is a vital piece of the great mosaic of humanity as a whole.”
Pope John Paul II, Israel-Palestine – 9/22/1999
“It is especially for you, young people, to take on the great task of building a society where there will be more justice and solidarity.”
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day VI – 8/15/1990
The Freshman Retreat welcomes students into the Pope John Paul II community and helps them begin their high school journey with a strong sense of belonging. Through prayer, group activities, and reflection, freshmen explore what it means to be both an individual person of faith and an active member of a caring community.
Students are encouraged to recognize their unique gifts, appreciate the importance of relationships, and embrace the call to become "persons for others" through kindness, service, and compassion.
Sophomore Retreat
Acting Virtuously
“…make your generous and responsible contribution to the constant building up of the Church as a family, a place of dialogue and mutual acceptance, a space of peace, mercy and pardon.”
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day XII“Through her example, may (Most Holy Mary) encourage you to be in the new millennium announcers of hope, love and peace!”
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day XV – 8/15/2000
The Sophomore Retreat challenges students to consider how faith shapes their decisions and actions. As young adults navigating a complex world, sophomores reflect on the virtues that guide their relationships within their families, school, Church, and wider communities.
Through meaningful discussions and prayer experiences, students are encouraged to live with integrity, demonstrate compassion, and courageously choose values rooted in faith, even when they differ from the messages of popular culture.
Junior Retreat
Faith and Prayer
“Freedom is not the ability to do anything we want, whenever we want. Rather, freedom is the ability to live responsibly the truth of our relationship with God and one another.”
Pope John Paul II, Saint Louis, Missouri – 1/26/1999“In prayer you become one with the source of our true light, Jesus Himself.”
Pope John Paul II, Saint Louis, Missouri – 1/26/1999
The Freshman Retreat welcomes students into the Pope John Paul II community and helps them begin their high school journey with a strong sense of belonging. Through prayer, group activities, and reflection, freshmen explore what it means to be both an individual person of faith and an active member of a caring community.
Students are encouraged to recognize their unique gifts, appreciate the importance of relationships, and embrace the call to become "persons for others" through kindness, service, and compassion.
Senior Retreat
Courageous Leadership
“Call out to Jesus to remain with you always along the many roads to Emmaus of our time. May He be your strength, your point of reference, your enduring hope!”
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day XII“The human person, created in the image and likeness of God, cannot become a slave to things, to economic systems, to technological civilization, to consumerism, to easy success.”
Pope John Paul II, Pozan, Poland – 6/3/1997
As seniors prepare for life beyond high school, this retreat offers a valuable opportunity to pause, reflect, and discern their next steps. Removed from the pressures of college applications, career decisions, and upcoming transitions, students are invited to consider how faith equips them for leadership and service.
The Senior Retreat encourages students to draw upon their experiences of truth, virtue, and community at Pope John Paul II High School and carry those lessons into the future. It is a time to embrace the call to courageous leadership and to live as faithful witnesses in a changing world.
Faith in Community
Liturgy, Prayer, and Student-Led Worship
Students gather for Weekly Mass as a central part of campus life, providing regular opportunities to grow in faith, celebrate the Eucharist, and strengthen their relationship with Christ. In addition to weekly class and school liturgies, parents and friends of the school are always welcome to attend. At the beginning of each school year, all students participate in the Mass of the Holy Spirit, celebrated with over 600 students from Catholic schools, Pre-K through college, across the South Sound area.
Beyond Weekly Mass, student-led prayer services provide meaningful opportunities for worship throughout the liturgical year, including during Advent and Lent. Students are encouraged to lead Bible studies, participate in faith-sharing groups, and join the Campus Ministry Team to help foster a vibrant Catholic community rooted in prayer, service, and discipleship.
Compassion In Action
Introduction to Community Service
Pope John Paul II High School’s Community Service program develops students who understand service as fundamental and intrinsic to their faith. They demonstrate compassion for victims of injustice and know that they are called to actively commit to building a just society. It is the program’s objectives through direct service to others to challenge students’ perceptions and stereotypes of those they serve and create empathetic, compassionate, and courageous leaders for change
The program is designed to support the school’s culture of mutual support for one another and being a people for others. The Community Service program is an extension of this school culture of service into the surrounding community. The school selects and approves placements that permit students to serve others as directly as possible. It is through this contact that not only the lives of those served are changed but the lives of our students. Service experiences are selected and designed to bring about an effective change of heart in our students.
Hours With Purpose
Grade-Level Service Requirements
Freshmen
10 Service Hours
Build a strong foundation of service by completing 10 community service hours during your freshman year. Students must finish 3 hours (30%) during the fall semester to successfully pass the Community Period class. The December Day of Service contributes approximately 2 service hours toward the requirement.
Sophomore
20 Service Hours
Expand your commitment to serving others by completing 20 community service hours. Students are required to complete 6 hours (30%) during the fall semester to pass the Community Period class. The December Day of Service provides about 2 service hours, and students may complete some or all of their hours during the summer before sophomore year.
Junior
20 Service Hours
Continue developing leadership and compassion through 20 community service hours. Students must complete 6 hours (30%) during the fall semester to meet Community Period expectations. The December Day of Service counts for approximately 2 hours, and service completed during the summer before junior year may be applied toward the requirement.
Senior
30 Service Hours
Demonstrate your commitment to service by completing 30 community service hours during your senior year. All required hours must be completed by the end of the first semester. The December Day of Service typically counts for 2 service hours, and students may complete some or all of their hours during the summer before senior year.
Some examples of community service:
Students may fulfill service requirements through approved organizations and community initiatives, including:
- Rebuilding Together
- Table Grace Feeding Ministry
- Rainy Day Ranch
- Catholic Community Service
- Boys and Girls Club of Thurston County
- Saint Michael Parish Men’s Shelter
- Special Olympics
- Sacred Heart Emergency Outreach
- Our Common Home Farms