Pope John Paul II Award participants earn their Award by taking an active role in their parish and in activities which build social awareness.
Examples of Award activities from around the country
The parish and social awareness activities listed below show what participants are doing in some dioceses. This is not a definitive list, but for guidance and ideas for JP2 participants and Award Leaders.
A more detailed list can be download in pdf format for printing and easy sharing.
Download list of examples of Parish & Social Activities
Download
Diocese of Derry – Examples of Parish Involvement Activities
- Reading at Mass
- Basket collector
- Counting money from weekly collections
- Member of the Choir/Folk Group
- Church decoration/Cleaning
- Children’s Liturgy
- Eucharistic Minister
- Hands That Talk
- Offertory Gifts
- Parish Youth Council
- Passion Play
- Preparing Articles for Parish Bulletin
- Youth Alpha
- Hike to Croagh Patrick (Top Up)
- Hope Camp (Top Up)
- Pilgrimage to Lourdes (Top Up)
- Retreats (Top Up)
Diocese of Derry – Examples of Social Awareness Activities
- Faith Friends
- Foyle Hospice
- Ongoing fundraising
- Music Tuition at Community Centre
- Organising Christmas Shoebox Appeal in School
- Peer Mentoring
- REACH Across
- Red Cross
- St Vincent de Paul
- St John’s Ambulance
- Sports Coaching
- Volunteering Disability Charities
- Volunteering in Charity Shops
- Volunteering in Youth Clubs
- Volunteering in Community Centre
- Visiting Residential Homes
- Visiting Hospitals
- Visiting Primary Schools
- Youth Club Residential (Top Up)
Online Faith and Parish activities
Other parish and social awareness activities participants are successfully doing in some dioceses both online and offline can be viewed here: /blog/award-resources/parish-and-social-activities-ideas-to-use/
Archdiocese of Tuam – Examples of Parish Involvement Activities
- Adoration Club in School
- Awakening Concert
- Clean local Church and playground
- Eucharistic Ministers
- “New Dawn” diocesan magazine – Contributing articles, pictures and stories
- Member of New Dawn Editorial Board
- Members of parish youth group
- Parish choir
- Friends of Faith Youth Club
- Distributors of Church envelopes
- Assisting with parish Facebook/webpage
- World Youth Day
- Promote Catholic Schools Week
- Form a school chaplaincy team
- Climbing Croagh Patrick
- Decorating Church/School Oratory
- Collected/Distributor of newsletters/leaflets/prayer cards
- Youth Member of Pastoral Council
- Filling Holy water bottles
- Christmas Carol Service
- Distribute flowers for Mother’s day in the parish
- Involved in Easter liturgies
- Sacramental preparation for 1st Holy communion /Confirmation children
- Help erect the crib and parish Christmas trees
- Dawn Easter Mass
- Get involved with launch The New Dawn” diocesan magazine in the parish
- Facilitating a game of “Who wants to be a Christian millionaire” in the school during Catholic Schools Week
- Carers and helpers to children with special needs alongside Fr. Mike Murphy for the Easter pilgrimage to Lourdes
- Michaela Camp youth leader
- Parish youth summer camp
- Church gate collections
- Parish Powerpoint Display
- Peer for Peer
- Readers
- TY Parish Projects Day
- Trocaire – Social Justice Day
- Youth 2000
- Morning Prayers at School over intercom
- Creating a remembrance garden
- Making St. Brigid’s crosses
- Creating and distributing Exam Prayer Cards
- VAKS – Volunteer@Knock Shrine
- Young SVP Day
Archdiocese of Tuam – Examples of Social Awareness Activities
- Visitors to local nursing home
- School choir member
- Referees at local soccer blitz
- Member of Youthbank
- Musicals
- Mentors
- Student council members
- Charity colour run
- Under age training
- Cycle against Suicide
- Trad for Trocaire
- Open night in school
- Organising personal development day
- Flag day for the school
- Helping at 1st year science quiz
- Volunteering at local animal shelter
- Helping out at senior citizens party
- Meals on Wheels
- Working with Faith and Light group
- volunteering in local charity shop
- Stay Awake vigil night in the school for refugees
- Putting on movie night, party and disco for 1st years
- Visiting the Alzheimer’s home
- Western Care
- Daffodil day fundraiser
- Charity cake sale
- Litter picking/Green schools/Tidy towns
- Big brother, Big sister
- Darkness into light
- Helping at local agri show
- Shoe Box Appeal
- Food Collection at Christmas for Homeless
- School Orchestra
- Face painting at local primary school sports day
- Pay it Forward day at School
- Positive Mental Health Week
- Involved in creating and sending cards to those who were out sick during the school year, or had a bereavement
- Fundraising for local charities
- Irish wheelchair association
- Special Olympics
- Irish Heart Foundation collection
- Pink Ribbon Cycle
- Irish Cancer Society
- Taking part in the annual mini marathon for a charity
- Ability west
- Community games
- Friends of Belarus
- Teaching dance, music, art, etc
- Brownies/Scouts/
- Foroige/No Name club leadership role
- Bingo For Seniors
- 5km for Chernobyl
- TY carwash for charity
- Sleepout for charity
- European youth parliament
- Leadership for Life course
- Homework club
- Tractor Run
- First Aid/Order of Malta
Download list of examples of Parish & Social Activities
Download
Let us know what you are doing
If there are activities you are doing which are not listed here, let us know about them so they can be shared with all participants.
Contact us:
Award head office
Telephone: 028 7126 4087 (from Republic of Ireland: 048 7126 4087)
Email: admin@thepopejohnpauliiaward.com
Twitter: @JP2Award
