Class Retreats
Retreats
Designated days of prayer are integral to a healthy spiritual life; they give us the space and time to re-center ourselves on what matters most: God, who has spent all of history prioritizing us. Pope John Paul II High School, through the Ministry Office, schedules one-day and multiple-day retreats throughout the course of the year that are uniquely tailored to each class.
The freshman retreat, held in the first quarter, welcomes all students into the Catholic,
Christian community that is Pope John Paul II High School. The focus of this retreat is
making God and school their “home”.
Designated days of prayer are integral to a healthy spiritual life; they give us the space and time to re-center ourselves on what matters most: God, who has spent all of history prioritizing us. Pope John Paul II High School, through the Ministry Office, schedules one-day and multiple-day retreats throughout the course of the year that are uniquely tailored to each class.
The freshman retreat, held in the first quarter, welcomes all students into the Catholic,
Christian community that is Pope John Paul II High School. The focus of this retreat is
making God and school their “home”.
The sophomore retreat, held in the second quarter, focuses on cultivating Catholic,
Christian leaders in the spirit of Pope Saint John Paul II.
The junior retreat, which is held off campus in the third quarter and is divided by gender,
is geared to the living out their Christian vocation, as the class gradually shifts their
vision to life after high school.
All seniors are given the chance to attend one of the four Kairos retreats offered each
year. This retreat creates a powerful avenue by which our seniors can take their
relationship with God to a more mature level, giving them the confidence they need to
live the faith after high school. For more information about Kairos, please click here.
(INBED HYPER LINK)
Those who do not attend a Kairos retreat make a pilgrimage which is held in the fourth quarter. A pilgrimage is a journey by which one comes to a greater knowledge of self, others, and God. To give our students a greater understanding and appreciation for the Catholic culture in Philadelphia, the Ministry Office usually leads a trip to either the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, or the
Miraculous Medal Shrine.
A faculty retreat, held each November, focuses on concrete ways to incorporate our
Catholic faith into the everyday life of a Catholic School teacher.
What Is Kairos:
Kairos is a Greek word which means “the right time” or in theology, “the appointed time in the purpose of God.” The Kairos retreat employs some of the principles of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), a priest and mystic who founded the Society of Jesus. This retreat, which has been specifically adapted for high school students, is a four day three night retreat experience which offers seniors an opportunity to grow in knowledge of and relationship with God, others, and themselves. It is also an occasion to grow in awareness that
each person is created in the image and likeness of God and to come to recognize God’s presence
in all things; in music, nature, their family and friends, and especially Sacred Scripture and the Sacraments.
Kairos retreats are directed by the Director of School Ministry and chaperoned by PJP faculty and staff.
Seniors who have already experienced the retreat serve as student leaders.
Kairos is a Greek word which means “the right time” or in theology, “the appointed time in the purpose of God.” The Kairos retreat employs some of the principles of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556), a priest and mystic who founded the Society of Jesus. This retreat, which has been specifically adapted for high school students, is a four day three night retreat experience which offers seniors an opportunity to grow in knowledge of and relationship with God, others, and themselves. It is also an occasion to grow in awareness that
each person is created in the image and likeness of God and to come to recognize God’s presence
in all things; in music, nature, their family and friends, and especially Sacred Scripture and the Sacraments.
Kairos retreats are directed by the Director of School Ministry and chaperoned by PJP faculty and staff.
Seniors who have already experienced the retreat serve as student leaders.