Love One Another, As Christ Loves Us
Through the Gospel mandate of Jesus Christ, we are called as Christians to take up our “basin and towel” to love and serve as Christ did. The Christian Service Program offers the gifts of humility and poverty in spirit in loving service to others through Jesus Christ.
At JPII, you will engage in a variety of meaningful Christian service experiences each year. You will learn about yourself, the needs of others and the environment around you, and your abilities to become change agents in the world. These experiences will help you see that making a difference in others’ lives is as rewarding an experience as you can have.
You may end up volunteering at nursing homes, coach and facilitate at Special Olympics, tutor at elementary schools, or serve as youth coaches or leaders. Grades 9 and 10 service experiences are led by faculty and staff members, which allow for a richer experience and the development of strong relationships with teachers. Grades 11 and 12 students participate in Christian service to the “marginalized” (those whose needs are typically unmet) and later become advocates through Catholic social justice efforts.
From Grade 5 to Grade 12, the Christian Service Program helps you see and meet the needs of others as Jesus has taught us.
Many local groups and organizations benefit from the thousands of hours of Christian service performed by JPII students. Beneficiaries include:
- Altar service and readers at home parishes
- American Cancer Society
- Animal Rescue League
- Area Nursing Homes
- Beach Clean-up projects throughout the Cape
- Cape Cod Children’s Museum
- Christian Foundation for Children and Aging
- Coastal Sweep
- Dana Farber Cancer Research Center
- Dennis Fire Department
- Dennis Public Library
- Falmouth Road Race
- Falmouth Service Center
- Franciscan Mission Honduras
- Habitat For Humanity
- Hyannis Elks Lodge
- Marines Toys for Tots / Stuff-A-Bus
Christian Service Program
- During your Freshman year, you are required to participate in two (2) service experiences led by a member of the faculty or staff.
- You must be present for both the preparation and follow-up meetings as well as the service event to fulfill your requirement.
- A list of upcoming service opportunities are part of morning announcements and posted outside of the Campus Ministry Office.
- During your Sophomore year, you are required to participate in four (4) service experiences led by a member of the faculty or staff. Exceptions to this requirement may only be granted by the service coordinator.
- You must be present for both the preparation and follow-up meetings as well as the service event to fulfill your requirement.
- A list of upcoming service opportunities are part of morning announcements and posted outside of the Campus Ministry Office.
- During your Junior year, you will participate in Community Service to the “marginalized.”
- You are tasked with finding an agency that serves a marginalized population.
- “Marginalized” will be defined as a population of people who are generally forgotten members of society; a population of people who are generally seen as not contributing members. The marginalized person is one whose needs are greater than the average member of society and whose needs are typically unmet. We look to Jesus as a model of service to the marginalized.
- You are encouraged to find a social justice issue that you would like to explore further in your Senior Social Justice Advocacy Project.
- You must make eight (8) visits to one agency.
- During your Senior year, you will participate in a social justice advocacy effort.
- To become an advocate is to speak for a group of people that may not be able to speak for themselves.
- Two (2) site visits and two (2) on-site interviews are required.
- You will be required to present your finished project by participating in the Social Justice Fair in December.
