Diocese of Portsmouth

The Pope John Paul II Award encourages you to go beyond your comfort zone on a journey of self-discovery. It challenges you to give of your time, your talents, your intellect, and your social skills for the well-being of others and for the Glory of God.”

The Pope John Paul II Award enables participants to take an active part in the life of their Church – in the life of their community and society. It also enables young people become more aware of the teaching and role of the Catholic Church in the world and to engage at a deep level with Christ.

The Award is committed to helping young people enhance their spiritual, physical, emotional and social development through participation in school, parish and community activities.

Dear Friends,

The Pope John Paul II Award was founded in Derry, Ireland, in 2006. Since then, it has become part of the life of over 26 Dioceses. I am delighted to introduce this Award into the life of our Diocese of Portsmouth so that young people here may benefit too.

Our Diocesan ambition is to Bring People Closer to Jesus Christ through His Church. In this process, young people are the best missionaries and witnesses to other young people, but they do need to be supported and encouraged in their faith. This is why this Award, I believe, can be a great help.

In a message to young people on Palm Sunday 2020, Pope Francis said: “I would like to join you, young people, in calling for a cultural change, based on Jesus’ command to ‘arise’. He calls us to embrace a reality that is so much more than virtual. ‘Arise,’” he adds, “is also an invitation to ‘dream’, to ‘take a risk’, to be committed to changing the world, to rekindle your hopes and aspirations, and to contemplate the heavens, the stars and the world around you.” The Pope then invites young people to “give their passions and dreams free rein,“ and, through them, offer the world, the Church and other young people something beautiful. Young people should “make your voices heard.”

It is my hope that this Award will help our young people to “arise.”

To introduce this Award, of course, will require all of us, especially parish clergy and leaders, to commit some time and energy. Yet in so doing, we will see our young people take a more visible place in the daily life of our parishes as people of faith. This will be a great blessing not only to the young people themselves who participate, but to all of us. Indeed, my hope is that through their participation in this Award – at whatever level Bronze, Silver, Gold or Papal Cross – our young people will develop a lifelong love for Jesus Christ and become ever more generous and effective missionary-disciples within His Body the Church.

With my prayers and best wishes

In Corde Iesu,
+Philip
Bishop of Portsmouth

There are 4 Awards – Gold, Silver, Bronze & Papal Cross

Each Award is completed over a 16 month period beginning at the start of the academic year.
Awards are earned by taking part in parish and social activities – 1 hour per week over 8, 14, 20 or 26 weeks.

Those that have completed the Gold Award have a further option of completing the Papal Cross Award.

Gold Award Silver Award Bronze Award Papal Cross Award

Diocese of Portsmouth Award Activities and Top-Up Suggestions

Parish Involvement Activities
Examples of activities that can be done for the Award in the parish are:
• Those that assist the celebration of the Mass and other liturgies
• Minister of the Word – Readings of the day or prayers of intercession at Mass
• Altar Server
• Extra-Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion
• Member of the parish music group, choir, folk group, organist and or musician
• Assisting with Children’s Liturgy of the Word
• Supporting the Mass through the Offertory Procession, and or assisting with the weekly collection
• Composing prayers of the faithful/bidding prayers
• Helping to organising and/or leading a Praise and Worship evening
• Helping to organising and/or leading a Lenten Faith Sharing Group
• Usher
• Taking an active role within the parish Liturgy Committee
• Assisting with Nite fever
• Those that help to ensure that the church building is worthy of housing the Body of Christ
• Church Decoration
• Flower arranging
• Church Cleaning
• Ground maintenance
• Parish Cemetery cleaning/maintenance
• Those that reach out to all within the parish and those that attend liturgies and help them to be members of the community
• Communications group
• Preparing articles for the parish bulletin,
• Assisting with the editing and collation of the parish newsletter
• Helping in Parish Office
• Helping with the repository
• Member of the Hospitality team
• Welcoming the laity to Mass/Liturgies
• Handing out leaflets or bulletins
• Assisting with teas and coffees after Mass
• Be an active link between the parish school and the parish

Social Awareness Activities
Examples of activities in the area of Social Awareness that you could do for your Award are:

• Join local branches of charities and get involved in local projects or fundraising ie
• Caritas
• CAFOD
• St. Vincent de Paul or Young Vinnies
• St John Ambulance or The Red Cross
• Volunteering at Charity Shops
• Volunteering at Community Centres
• Helping to organise collections for the local food bank.
• Be active within the community by
• Visitation of residential homes
• Visiting and supporting SEN homes and or schools
• Faith Friends/Lighthouse Programme
• Being a Caritas School Ambassador
• Coaching
• Peer Mentoring
• Being a member or leader within one of the parish uniformed groups (ie Cubs/guides etc.)
• Helping out at the local foodbank.
• Running a fair trade stall
• Demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of the need for social awareness by participating in the Caritas Schools ‘Dragon Den’ Project.

Faith Development Activities
Every Award participant in Portsmouth Diocese is required to engage in a recognised faith development programme/activity offered in the Diocese or parish:
• Taking part in an Alpha/Youth Alpha Course
• Assisting with an Alpha/Youth Alpha Course
• Supporting sacramental programmes as a youth Leader/Mentor/youth Catechist
• RCIA Sponsor
• Attending the second year of the Confirmation programme ie the year after you have received the Sacrament of Confirmation
• Youth 2000 prayer group
• Prayer partner
• Membership of the EST – Evangelisation Strategy Team

Award Top-Ups
Award Top-Ups are given in recognition of the extra activities that Award participants are already involved in.

Top-Ups will go towards the total number of hours an individual has to complete.
Papal Cross: 7.5 hours
Gold: 6 hours
Silver: 4.5 hours
Bronze: 3 hours

Top-Ups can be achieved in a number of ways, for example:

Pilgrimage
The Diocese of Portsmouth organise a pilgrimage to Lourdes each year. As a youth pilgrim you would be involved in enabling pilgrims to take full advantage of the programme perhaps by pushing wheelchairs and offering assistance at mealtimes. You would also be able to help with the liturgies and all other aspects of the pilgrimage. Many parishes also organise pilgrimages, either specifically for young people, or for the wider parish community, but open to young people. Participation in this type of activity can be part of the Pope John Paul II Award.

Diocesan Youth Activities
On a number of occasions during the year, the Diocese of Portsmouth organises youth activities such as the Altar Server Day, Confirmation Retreats and celebrations for National Youth Sunday which include guest speakers. Participation in these activities can be part of the Pope John Paul II Award, either through attendance or by becoming one of the Diocesan Youth Ambassadors and helping to organise and lead these days.

Humanitarian Trips
Trips lasting four days or more to work on specific projects, such as overseas projects, or other areas to work in a voluntary capacity in schools and communities can also be part of the Pope John Paul II Award.

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 Paull II Award Committee for approval by emailing:
JP2award@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk.

Making young people visible in their church, community & society

Diocese of Portsmouth

The Pope John Paul II Award

The Pope John Paul II Award encourages you to go beyond your comfort zone on a journey of self-discovery. It challenges you to give of your time, your talents, your intellect, and your social skills for the well-being of others and for the Glory of God.”

A message from the Bishop of Portsmouth

The Award in the Diocese of Portsmouth

There are 4 Awards – Gold, Silver, Bronze & Papal Cross

Diocese of Portsmouth Award Activities and Top-Up Suggestions

Downloads

Award Handbook

Award Resources

The Award runs in Ireland and the UK, find your diocese below.

If you are an Award participant, you can find all materials required to complete your Award on your Diocese Award page