Ministry

CAMPUS MINISTRY:

Paramus Catholic High School takes great pride in encouraging students, faculty, staff, and alumni to become involved in the faith life of the students – both in and outside of the school community. In addition to the opportunities that are provided in school, students are encouraged to participate in the service activities of their local parish church, communities, and the wider world community.

Two beautiful chapels reflect the faith, mission, and Catholic identity of the school.
A dedicated administration, faculty, and staff focused on the spiritual needs of the students.
Campus Ministry exemplifies the four pillars of Paramus Catholic; Faith, Academics, Security, and Wellness.
The Campus Ministry Department looks at the whole life of the student and strives to help them become the best people they can be by reaching their maximum potential.

For more information:

Daniel Cummings

Coordinator of Ministry for Service and Outreach

201-445-4466 ext. 229

[email protected]

Michael A. Shea

Dean of Campus Ministry

Theology Department Coordinator

201-445-4466 ext. 117

[email protected]

SACRAMENTS AND WORSHIP

Students have the opportunity to celebrate daily Mass in one of our two school chapels.
Monthly all-school Masses help to foster a sense of who we are as a Catholic school, providing students with the opportunities to serve as leaders of song, choir members, altar servers, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers.
Opportunities for individual and class prayer are provided throughout the year. All-school and individual class prayer services allow for deeper and more reflective prayers among the school community.
Reconciliation is offered during the Lenten season, or anytime from our priest chaplains.
All students attending Paramus Catholic High School have an opportunity to join and serve in the school’s Peer Leadership roles in Campus Ministry by getting involved in the various Liturgical activities. Students can be trained to assume these leadership roles, which include but are not limited to:

- Greeters/Ushers
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Cantors
- Liturgical Choir
- Liturgical Music Ensemble (for students who play musical instruments)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (Seniors Only, if applicable)

ALL-SCHOOL MASSES

The All-School Masses take place throughout the school year and when we cannot celebrate together as a community outside in the Paladin Stadium the Freshmen and Sophomores will celebrate Mass in our school's gym and Juniors and Seniors celebrate Mass in our school's auditorium.
Our school community allows for students to reach their maximum potential through their participation in our liturgical choir, and concert band, as leaders of song/cantors, as altar servers, lectors, and for Seniors only, if applicable as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. When students are given the opportunity to participate in the celebration of the Mass their faith comes alive as they become more spiritual persons within our community.
Students will have the opportunity to participate in Mass throughout the week either before or after school depending upon the day. A weekly schedule will be posted each Monday morning for the scheduled Masses for the week.
Monthly and daily All-School Masses help to foster a sense of who we are as a Catholic school and represent our 1^st pillar of a Paramus Catholic education, which is FAITH.

RETREATS

Paramus Catholic has a wide variety of retreat options for students to participate in throughout the course of the year. These retreat opportunities will allow the student to grow in their faith and explore many different aspects of spiritual direction as they journey with each other throughout the year. Our Campus Ministry department has the following retreat options for students to participate in; day retreats, overnight retreats, individual class retreats, and whole class retreat days.

ALL-SCHOOL RETREATS

The All-School Retreats highlight the three major areas of the graduate profile for a student at Paramus Catholic. The retreat program addresses the growing spiritual, communal, and physical needs of the individuals that make up our school community.

They highlight the lessons taught inside the classroom and provide students with an opportunity to grow and expand their learning in the world around them. The All-School Retreats also stress the importance of the dignity of every human person, developing positive/healthy relationships centered around God, prayer/meditation, God’s vocation, and embracing the teachings of Jesus Christ and of the Catholic Church.
These day retreats provide an entire class the opportunity to celebrate their faith, prayer, and spiritual life with their peers, particularly in their individual classes.
- The freshman class will participate in a day retreat with the entire freshmen class helping them to acclimate to our school community and also feel welcome in their new school.
- The Sophomore and Junior classes will have a combined retreat day where each class will have a part of the day that is tailored to their class community. A trained, experienced, and decorated Catholic artist, musician, and speaker will come in and provide an exciting program that revolves around specific key themes that will allow both groups of students to celebrate the PC community, grow in their faith, and have fun making class memories with each other.
- Senior year, students will have the opportunity to participate in their own individual retreat program that will focus on their time at Paramus Catholic but also talk about where they are going and the legacy they leave behind. In the past, the Senior Retreat has taken place on campus or the senior class can be taken off campus where their retreat will help them process the next big chapters of their lives while reminding them of the importance of God, family, friends, and legacy as future alumni of Paramus Catholic High School.
Mass is celebrated on all retreat days allowing all the students who participate to celebrate Paramus Catholic’s unique diversity, community, and legacy as we continue to evangelize the message of the Gospel “Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

FRESHMEN CLASS RETREATS (DAY RETREATS)

Every individual freshman Theology class will have the opportunity during the school year to participate in a retreat after school with their individual theology classes. This retreat is known as the “Freshmen Retreat”.
The Freshmen Retreat allows each freshman to socialize, celebrate, and grow in their faith with each other outside of the classroom, while still applying the lessons learned, discussed, and experienced in their theology classes.
The Freshmen Retreats allow each student the opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship and enjoy the chance to learn from each other, pray with each other, and minister to one another.
During this retreat experience, the Freshmen students will hear a talk given by a Peer Retreat Leader in Campus Ministry. This talk will provide them with great ideas, personal support, and information about how to make the most of their freshmen year together from an upperclassman who is willing to share their life experiences with their peers.
During the retreat, the Freshman students will also participate in icebreakers, small group discussions, and other activities designed to help them grow and share their faith with each other.

OVERNIGHT WEEKEND RETREATS

The Overnight Weekend Retreats take place off-campus and are chaperoned by school administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, and volunteers of Paramus Catholic High School. These retreats are the apex of the retreat experience at Paramus Catholic. Each retreat has its own individual theme, student peer leadership team, and schedule of fun, spiritual, and exciting activities for the students to participate in. These overnight retreats usually start Friday afternoon go through the entire day on Saturday, and end on Sunday afternoon.
On these retreats, all students will have an opportunity to celebrate Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Mass together in the retreat setting. Student-led songs, readings, and communal prayer not only enhance their faith experiences but also allow for a greater worship experience while on retreat.
All overnight retreats are led by our student peer leaders who are trained members of the Campus Ministry team at Paramus Catholic High School. These retreat leaders give talks throughout the weekend, oversee small group discussions, and facilitate all the icebreakers, team building, and community activities with the students attending the weekend retreat.

Some of the retreats that we have held in the past are the:

- - Service Retreat
  - Search Retreat
  - Circle of Life Retreat^©
  - Gateway Retreat^©
  - FireStorm Retreat^©
  - Emissary Retreat^©

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

Students are always encouraged and given the opportunities to participate in community service to their school, towns, local churches, and world communities through Paramus Catholic’s community service network of non-profit organizations and our network with local religious, civic, county, state, and cultural organizations.
It is through these service experiences and the peer leadership training that students receive through Campus Ministry that allows them to go beyond their required service hours requirements and dedicate themselves to living lives of leadership, mission, and service to the world.
Our focus on service is always on the positive and healthy development of relationships, expanding their understanding of the world around them, and on the four pillars of the Paramus Catholic education experience which are Faith, Academics, Wellness, and Security.

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES:

NEW in 2023-2024: The Paladin Food Pantry - Paramus Catholic's own in-house food pantry organized and run by student volunteers to help serve the poor and needy people of the school, town, county, and state communities.

Adopt-a-family Christmas Project (Catholic Charities) - Organized by Paramus Catholic's Campus Ministry department as a school-wide service project for Christmas.

American Cancer Society - Cancer Awareness and other Activities.

American Cancer Society - Relay for Life - Locations determined by this organization.

American Red Cross - Blood, Clothing, Food, and Supply drives run by this organization.

Appalachia mission trip.ARC of Bergen/Passaic Counties.

Archdioceses of Newark: Respect for Life Office & Mercy House.

Bergen County Coalition for the Homeless.

Bridges Outreach to the Homeless (18^th yr).

Camp Snowflake / Sunshine / Acorn.

Center for Food Action in Saddle Brook, Mahwah, and Englewood.

Community Food Bank of NJ.

Community Food, Supply, and Clothing Drives are organized and run by Paramus Catholic students.

Girl or Boy Scout Service Programs.

Habitat for Humanity Restore.

HUMC Cancer Center.

Jersey Cares.

Local Boys and Girls Clubs of NJ.

Local NJ Homeless Shelters.

Local Town Police DARE programs.

Local Town Police, Fire, EMT Departments.

Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

NJ Peace Action.

Pink Out for Cancer - Opportunities organized by various Paramus Catholic Sports Teams to raise both money and awareness for various Cancer treatments and research.

Special Olympics.

Table-to-Table Bag-a-Lunch collection.

Tenafly Nature Center.

The YMCA of Bergen / Essex / Morris / Passaic Counties.

Other service/volunteering can also be done through other non-profit locations such as; local hospitals, town libraries, summer, and year-round camps, Church/Parish religious education programs, Youth Groups CCD programs, nursing homes, extended care facilities, unpaid work for town recreational programs, agencies that provide care for sick, senior, disabled, homeless, hungry, veterans, retired, local town hospitals, local public/private, elementary, grammar, middle, high schools, animal shelters, and much more…
The Paramus Catholic Theology Department curriculum incorporates the student community service model into all of our theology classes throughout the students' four years enrolled at Paramus Catholic High School.
- Students are required each year to complete a set of “Required Service Hours” as part of their individual Theology class curriculums.

- These actions/hours reflect Paramus Catholic’s mission to infuse authentic Catholic teachings into all of our curriculum, culture, daily operations, spiritual life, and witness of the school community. It is the hope that all our students will embrace this philosophy/mission and answer the call to serve others in need, especially the most vulnerable and needy in our society and world.
This well-rounded exposure encourages our students to go outside their comfort zones and into their local/worldly communities providing them with a meaningful service experience, while also providing them with outlets to fulfill their individual service requirements that are a part of the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year theology curriculums as stated above.