Welcome

Welcome to Campus Ministry!

At John Paul II Catholic School, we are committed to the moral and spiritual development of our students. Faith in God and the values of trust, humility and compassion are interwoven in all aspects of education at JPII, and we challenge our students to live meaningful and intentional lives serving others and thus serving God. Through our Campus Ministry, faith is not merely talked about, but rather experienced on a daily basis by providing opportunities for encounter that lead to the deepening of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our Campus Ministry Team—which includes our Acts29 Peer Ministers, FCA Leadership, and members of our faculty and staff—accompanies our students as they discover God’s presence and activity in all areas of life. Students have opportunities to receive the Sacraments, engage in communal and personal prayer, attend retreats specific to their grade-level, and engage in both individual and school-wide community service. Campus Ministry cultivates the faith life of our JPII community through transformative encounters with Jesus Christ, and we encourage our students as they develop their unique gifts in service to our school, our local community, and beyond, challenging them to be leaders who honor, respect, and nurture human dignity through authentic discipleship.

The John Paul II Campus Ministry Team journeys with our students, faculty, and staff by offering daily, weekly, monthly, and annual events, activities, and celebrations. From daily prayer, weekly liturgies, FCA Huddles, and Days of Service to our Living Rosary, Stations of the Cross, grade-level retreats, and pilgrimage to Washington. D.C.. for the March for Life, the presence of the Holy Spirit is experienced in abundant and diverse ways throughout our JPII campus and community. We look forward to you sharing your blessings and gifts as a member of our John Paul II family!

Nolite Timere!!

Deacon Brent Heathcott, Campus Minister

Class retreat
Community service
Acts29 Peer Ministry

Campus Minister’s “Heart of the Mission Messages”

Hearing God’s Invitation

Dear Friends,

I have been asked many times over the years how I became a deacon in the Catholic Church. Many expect that I would say it was because of a “lightning bolt” moment—where God struck my heart through an event or conversation in an electrifying way, or the Holy Spirit did something dramatic to “give me a sign” to serve God’s Church as a deacon.

Inevitably, I let those people down when I tell them that my calling was not the result of a “lightning bolt” moment, but rather the result of the Holy Spirit working on me over the span of many years. I finally reached the point where I could no longer put off or ignore the call that was taking over my heart. That is how it happened for me—not the most exciting story!

The call to discipleship is different for each one of us. In Sunday’s Gospel from Matthew in the Third Week in Ordinary Time, Simon Peter and Andrew did experience that “lightning bolt” moment when Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The Gospel states that “at once they left their nets and followed him.” It happened in a flash—BAM! Simon Peter and Andrew were fishermen; that was their occupation. One minute they were focused on doing their job, just like any other ordinary day, and the next minute, Jesus’ words touched them to their core, and they left all they had to follow Him. James and John then did the same.

Whether it happens in an instant or over many months—or even years—we are all called in special ways to the service of Jesus Christ. That call, or vocation, no doubt utilizes the individual skills, talents, and abilities gifted to us by God. How boring would it be if all had the same gifts? I am so thankful for the gifts of others in the service of God, like those who have beautiful voices that make our liturgies so wonderful!

Once we have prayerfully discerned our special call of discipleship, it is our responsibility to respond and say, “Yes, Lord!” Simon, Andrew, James, and John gave up their livelihoods and left their families to follow our Lord when He called. You and I will likely not be asked to make such a sacrifice, but whatever it is that we feel called to do in service of God, we should be prepared to have the courage to do whatever it takes to embrace our calling, follow Jesus, and enthusiastically say, “Yes, Lord!”

Peace and Blessings!

Deacon Brent Heathcott
Campus Minister

Powerful Witness Talk

Dear Friends:

Recently, my daughter attended SEEK26. SEEK is a five-day experience where thousands of Catholics, mostly college-aged, come together in three different locations across the country to encounter Christ through prayer, Adoration, the sacraments and inspiring speakers. It is sponsored by FOCUS, a Catholic campus-based missionary organization that prepares and trains young missionaries to serve “on the ground” on college campuses, walking with students on their faith journey.

A recent Clemson grad (GO TIGERS!), my daughter, Maddie, attended the SEEK conference earlier this month in Columbus, OH (the others were in Fort Worth, TX and Denver, CO). While she was there, she heard a powerful witness talk from a young priest, Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck. She sent me the link to the video of his talk and said, “Dad, you need to watch this and show it to your students!” So, I did, on both accounts!

Fr. Chase spoke to 16,000 mostly young Catholics about his life as a young, professional soccer player in Chile. He opened up about mortal sin, discouragement and his relationship with God. Repeating the cycle of sin, confession and absolution without making any significant life changes, a 24-year-old Chase was finally brought into the light one day by a priest who called him out in the confessional. It changed everything.

My daughter shared Fr. Chase with me, so now it is my turn to share him with you! I encourage you to take the time to watch this powerful witness talk by Fr. Chase! The link is below. Hopefully, it will change you, too.

Peace and Blessings!

Deacon Brent Heathcott

The Baptism of The Lord

As I was reflecting on the Church celebrating the Baptism of the Lord this Sunday, I thought about how the concept of “second chances” can sometimes be confusing to understand.

We have all probably heard these expressions:
“Life is about second chances.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance.”
“Sometimes in life, you are not always given a second chance.”
“Second chances do not come around often.”

One thing, however, is clear about “second chances” when it comes to God’s love for us and salvation—it is in our baptisms that we receive this grace-filled gift. It is exactly the second chance we needed. For it is in baptism that we are reborn, where the wound of original sin, inherited at our birth from our first parents, Adam and Eve, is washed away.

A second chance gives us a fresh start, a new beginning, and endless opportunities. It gives us a chance to grow, to right past wrongs, and to improve relationships. In all these ways and more, the sacramental grace received through the waters of baptism provides us with opportunities to experience God’s immeasurable love for us and to set ourselves firmly on the path of eternal life.

But baptism is more than just a moment when original sin is cleansed. When I preside at a baptism, I always tell the parents, godparents, and friends of the family in my homily that the day of baptism is beautiful—the signs, the symbols, and the grace of God and new life are being poured out on the child being baptized. However, baptism is more than just a day, more than just checking a spiritual box, and more than just a certificate.

Baptism begins a new way of life—a life lived hopefully as a child of God. A life embracing the opportunity to live in the light of Christ—knowing, loving, and serving Him in this life and living happily with Him forever in the next.

Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist not because He needed to be (He is God!), but because He wanted to set an example and show those who witnessed His baptism that He was like us—fully human. That is how much our God loves us.

I pray that this week, amid the busyness and chaos of life, through the light of your baptism, you will feel the grace and love of Jesus Christ, who desires to be in relationship with you in this life and the next.

Peace and Blessings!

Deacon Brent Heathcott
Campus Minister|Senior Theology

“Gaudete” Sunday

Dear Friends:
Greetings and Blessings to you!

Today, we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as “Gaudete” Sunday. Gaudete in Latin means “rejoice,” a reminder to us that we should be filled with joyful expectation of the birth of Jesus on Christmas. We light the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath to signify our shift, for a brief time, from the penance and preparation of the other weeks of Advent to celebration and hope as the Lord’s coming nears.

We are now halfway through Advent. How has yours been so far? If it has been anything like mine, it has been a combination of work (school), family, the busyness of the season, Advent preparation, Mass, and prayer. Our challenge during Advent is the same as any other time of year—to make Christ the center of our lives. But during Advent, it takes on a special meaning for us. Advent is a beautiful time of preparation and waiting, and it asks us to prioritize hope, peace, joy, and love in our lives every day so we can be ready for the coming of our Lord. I challenge you, as I have challenged myself and my students, to carve out moments in your day where you can be still and be silent. In those moments of quietness, allow the Holy Spirit to touch your heart and soul and speak to you. It is in the quiet and stillness that we encounter our Lord.

John the Baptist was in prison when he asked his disciples to go to Jesus with this question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” John knew the answer to this question, but he wanted his disciples to hear it directly from Jesus. Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus responds by telling the disciples about His miracles—the blind regain sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them! The disciples had good reason to rejoice upon hearing the words of Jesus … and so do we! We have a Lord who loves us, heals us, and redeems us. And we have the good news of the Gospel to strengthen our faith!

St. Pope John Paul II once wrote: “My hope is that the Good News of Christ will enter every home and help families to rediscover that only in Christ can man find salvation. In Him it is possible to find the interior peace, hope, and strength necessary to face life’s various situations each day, even those most onerous and difficult.”

Rejoice! The Lord is at hand! May your Advent continue to be a time of hope, peace, joy, and love.

Peace and Blessings,
Deacon Brent Heathcott
Campus Minister | Senior Theology

Turning Toward Christ

Dear Friends,

I pray the first week of Advent was full of hope and peace as we journey together toward Christmas!

You know, as a father of three JPII students as well as a theology teacher, I see the stress and struggle our students go through daily to keep up with all their responsibilities—school, sports, extracurricular activities, and for our seniors, applying to colleges and working on their capstone projects. I am sure our teachers are raising their hands as they read this, saying, “Hey, what about us?” Yes, our teachers too! Throw in midterm exams and all the hustle and bustle that comes with preparations for the Christmas season…and is it any wonder any of us can keep our wits about us? I know it is a struggle for me!

But for all of us, Advent is a time for peaceful reflection and hopeful anticipation. We need to make it a priority to “set aside” the things of the world—our worries and concerns—to carve out intentional time to ponder God’s love for us and how we can make tweaks, or big changes if necessary, in our lives to improve our relationship with Him. The readings for the Second Sunday of Advent speak to us about repentance, hope, and peace. The prophet Isaiah gave hope of the day a leader would spring up to bring peace and hope to Israel, while in the Gospel, John the Baptist reminds us that we need to “produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.” We do this by repenting and turning toward God—doing a “U-turn,” where needed—to head in the opposite direction of sin or those things that corrupt our faith. John baptized with water for the forgiveness of sins, but the sacramental baptism of Jesus—the one Isaiah prophesied about—gives us the graces we need through the Holy Spirit to be repentant, hopeful, and peaceful.

Today’s Responsorial Psalm says, “Justice shall flourish in his time, and the fullness of peace forever.” My prayer for our community is that during this Advent season, we will be thankful for the justice of Christ in our lives and for the blessings He has given us, and then respond with repentant and hopeful hearts—even with all that is on our plates.

Be intentional this Advent!

May God bless you and your family!

Deacon Brent Heathcott
Campus Minister | Senior Theology

Preparing Our Hearts During Advent

December 1, 2025

Dear Friends:

The Church celebrates the beginning of Advent, which also marks the beginning of a new liturgical year!

The word “Advent” means “coming” and as Christians, we are in preparation mode as we spend the next four weeks leading up to Christmas preparing our hearts to celebrate the coming of Christ. Sunday's readings remind us of how we are to prepare our hearts for Jesus’ second coming at the end of time. Jesus warns us that the people of Noah’s time were too busy eating, drinking and marrying and thus were caught off guard and not prepared when the flood came. Now, eating, drinking and marrying are not bad things, but they can be, as can anything in our lives, if not done without thought and inclusion of God. All that we do should have Jesus at its center, at the core. Since we do not know the hour in which our Lord will return, we need to make sure our hearts are prepared and our lives are lived in proper order – God first in all things!

St. Paul writes to the Romans in today’s second reading, “Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” When we focus on spiritual things rather than worldly things, we are moving in the direction of preparing our hearts for Christ. We are dialed-in to the things of the Lord.

One of the most well-known symbols of Advent is the Advent wreath. We light three purple candles and one rose candle to mark the four weeks of Advent. They provide a roadmap toward spiritual growth and preparedness. This week’s first candle is purple and represents hope. As Christians, we have the ultimate hope of the power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the gift of salvation. Next Sunday, we light the second purple candle representing peace. We strive for peace in our hearts and trust Jesus for those things that are beyond our control. The third Sunday, we light the rose candle, representing joy! Known as Gaudete Sunday (meaning rejoicing), we turn our hearts toward the excitement and joy of the birth of Christ at Christmas. Finally, the fourth Sunday candle is purple and represents love. There is no greater love than the love Jesus has for us! This is most evident in his Incarnation and eventual passion, death and resurrection. He desires for us to know, love and serve Him in this life and live happily with him forever in the next.

I pray that this Advent is a time of spiritual growth for all in our JPII community. Wishing you all hope, peace, joy and love as we prepare our hearts for Christ!

Peace and Blessings,

Deacon Brent Heathcott
Campus Minister

Strength Through Faith

Dear Friends:

When I was young, my father would often share stories with me about his youth, growing up in a poor family. It was the 1940s, during and immediately after World War II. Every day was a struggle to make ends meet.

One story my father told sticks with me the most. He vividly recalled his mother sitting at the kitchen table, her head in her hands, crying as she looked at a pile of bills, wondering how they would be paid. By the grace of God, the bills somehow always eventually got paid, even during the toughest of times. One of my father’s greatest joys in life was rising out of the poverty of his youth to provide a comfortable life for his wife and children.

Reflecting on those days of his youth, my father recalled many times when family and faith were what got them through the tough spots. Grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles lived nearby and helped provide meals and sustenance in many ways. His father and mother, my grandparents, were devout Catholics and leaned heavily on their faith in God, especially during the most difficult moments.

The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time gives us Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are a series of blessings Jesus shares with the crowds during His “Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus is also sharing them with us as His disciples. The first is perhaps the most profound: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

What does this mean for us? Being poor in spirit means understanding our complete dependence on God. When we fill ourselves up with the things of this world—material possessions, social media, anxiety from watching the news, and listening to what society says should make us happy and fulfilled—we leave little, if any, room for Jesus to penetrate our hearts. We can easily become consumed or even overwhelmed by the things of this world. But when we realize that we are poor in spirit and that we truly need the grace of God in our lives, it is there, in our lowliness and humility, that we find Christ’s peace.

Regardless of our social rank or financial status, the pathway to Jesus and our eventual heavenly reward is understanding our lowliness and dependence on God. In that humility, we become rich in what matters the most!

Peace and Blessings!
Deacon Brent Heathcott
Campus Minister | Senior Theology