The Pope John Paul II Award was created to commemorate the late Pope John Paul II who was so committed to young people and who had such belief and confidence in them.
Who is the Gold Award for?
The Pope John Paul II Award is for anyone between the age of 16 and 18. The Award is run by the Diocese and is suitable for:
- Students in Year 13
- Students in full-time education who have completed GCSEs
- Anyone between the age of 16 and 18, not in post-primary education
The award is non-competitive, flexible and voluntary and requires an ongoing commitment
Gold Award requirements
To achieve a gold Award participants must complete the following:
| Gold Award Activities | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Parish Involvement: | 1 hour per week x 20 weeks |
| Social Awareness: | 1 hour per week x 20 weeks |
| Presentation: | See below |
| Top-Ups: | 6 hours |
How do I enrol in the Award?
To enrol, complete and sign the application form. You should then return the completed form along with with the enrolment fee to your Award leader in your school/parish.
When your enrolment is processed you will receive your Record Card from your Award leader. You will decide with your Award leader what activities you intend to carry out under the sections ‘Parish Involvement’ and ‘Social Awareness’.
As you progress through the Award and complete each activity it is important to get each individual activity signed off on the record card by the named facilitator.
The presentation is to be completed at the end of the tasks.
Application form
Download Parish & Social Activities
Download
Is there an enrolment fee?
Yes, there is an enrolment fee. Please refer to your Award leader.
What is the completion time?
16 months beginning in September.
What exactly do I do to earn an Award?
You earn your Award by taking part in activities through Parish Involvement and Social Awareness, and preparation of Presentation.
How do I claim my Award?
On completion of the hours and the presentation, you should return your Record Card and presentation to the Award leader. These are ratified by the school principal and forwarded to the Pope John Paul II Award Committee.
Parish Involvement
Participants can earn their Award by taking an active role in their parish.
When we are baptised we become members of the Body of Christ. This means that we are called to be the presence of Christ in the world. As the Body of Christ, we belong to the community of the Church. We live out this belonging in our parish. For the Church, for the Body of Christ to be fully alive everybody needs to be actively involved. There are many things we can do in our parish.
Examples of activities in the parish that can be done for the Award are:
- Reading at Mass
- Altar Server
- Eucharistic Minister
- Member of choir/folk group
- Church decoration
- Collector
- Composing prayers of the faithful
- Preparing articles for the parish bulletin
There may be other activities that you are involved in that are not included here but may be relevant, if so please contact the Pope John Paul II Award Committee for approval.
Social Awareness
Participants can earn their Award through involvement in activities which build social awareness.
As members of the Body of Christ, through baptism, we make Christ present by the way we treat others. Our faith is lived out most fully in our actions, that is why it is important to be aware of the needs of others and to minister to their needs. That is why ‘Social Awareness’ is such an important aspect of this Award.
Examples of activities in the area of Social Awareness that you could do for your Award are:
- Participation in St. Vincent de Paul projects
- Spread
- Faith and Light
- Working in a youth club
- Ongoing fundraising
- Regular visitation of residential homes
- Faith Friends
There may be other activities that you are involved in that are not included here but may be relevant, if so please contact the Pope John Paul II Award Committee for approval.
Gold Award Top-Ups – 6 hours
Award Top-Ups are given in recognition of the extra activities that young people are already involved in. Top-Ups will go towards the total number of hours an individual has to complete.
Top-Ups can be achieved in a number of ways, for example – helping with the sick pilgrims at Lourdes.
Preparing the Reflection
When the participant completes the Parish Involvement and the Social Awareness sections of the Award he/she prepares a Reflection. This Reflection may be written (approx 1500 words) or through an interview (interview conducted by the Award leader, recorded, then transcribed).
The Reflection is to include:
- An answer to the question – What does it mean to be a baptised member of the Church?
- A personal reflection and evaluation on your parish involvement and social awareness work
- Your reflection on how the teachings of Christ are relevant to your chosen activities
- Conclusion
Through the Reflection, the participant will show a knowledge and understanding of what they did within the context of the Church. Their role within the Church will become more apparent.
The guidelines and template for the Reflection can be downloaded below.