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Mission & Ministry
As a Catholic School, faith in God is at the heart of the Patriot Experience. We instill in our students a love for God and neighbor and help each member of our community realize the dignity within themselves and each other.
A foundational Truth of our faith is the belief that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, Imago Dei, who is a communion of persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). We are created out of love to be loved and experience love. As such, the Mission & Ministry Office works in collaboration with all members of our Patriots community to uplift the dignity of each human person and build the Kingdom of God.
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All Patriots are servant leaders at heart
That is why we promise every student and family that we will provide a Catholic foundation of values, challenging academics and real-life experiences so that our students will attain their highest potential.
Our dedicated faculty and staff not only teach school subjects, but model and prepare students to positively influence a global society while being socially responsible, spiritually centered and morally grounded in our Catholic beliefs.
We are supported by our Campus Ministry team who facilitate:
- A robust four-year retreat program that enables our students to share and reflect upon how God is actively working in their lives.
- Regular prayer and liturgy during which our students experience God through His life-giving Word and Sacrament.
- A Peer Ministry Program that discerns the leadership potential in our amazing students and cultivates faith-filled leaders in our school and community.
- Service-learning opportunities that instill a spirit of service to others, especially the poor and vulnerable, and cultivate moral courage in each of our students.
- Local, national and international service immersion opportunities which form students in the principle of Solidarity and foster transformation.
- Small and large group faith-sharing opportunities where students and faculty/staff can grow deeper in their faith through accompaniment.
- Collaboration with regional Catholic Parishes and the Archdiocese of Baltimore to promote the educational mission of the Catholic Church.
Opportunities to reflect and pray
Our four-year retreat program offers all students an opportunity to reflect and pray on their spiritual and moral development as Patriots. These yearly retreats are a graduation requirement.
For Freshmen
- Freshman Retreat: Held in August before the start of their first semester, the Freshman Retreat is our introduction to what it means to be a Patriot! Students learn about our school’s mission and Catholic identity while forming life-long friendships with their peers. They are invited to explore their relationship with God and dive deeper into the life of faith that is at the heart of our school community.
- Baltimore Basilica Trip: During this day-long trip, Freshmen learn about the history of our namesake, Archbishop John Carroll, by visiting his final resting place at the Baltimore Basilica. They develop new friendships and exploring ways to use their God-given gifts and talents in service of our John Carroll, local and global communities.
For Sophomores
- Service Retreat: This day-long, service-learning retreat provides members of our Sophomore class an opportunity to better understand why serving others is such an essential element of being a Patriot. In small groups, our young people grow in faith through direct service to others while continuing to form life-long relationships with their peers.
- Vocation Awareness Trip: During this day-long trip, Sophomores explore the ways in which God is calling them to use their talents for the greater good. Students visit the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore for a class Mass and then separate for specific Vocational explorations. Boys visit St. Mary’s Seminary to learn about the vocations of married and priestly life while the girls remain at the Cathedral and explore the vocations of marriage and religious/consecrated life.
For Juniors
- Retreat: The Junior Retreat is a long-standing tradition at John Carroll. Since the early 1970s, it has been our tradition to take the members of our Junior class to the Msgr. O’ Dwyer Retreat House for an overnight retreat experience. This retreat, led by Senior Peer Ministers, challenges Juniors to take a closer look at who they are, where they are going and where God might be calling them at this stage in their lives.
For Seniors
- Retreat: The Senior Retreat is considered the capstone retreat experience at John Carroll. Led by a dedicated team of our faculty and staff, this three-day overnight retreat experience is designed to help our Seniors reflect on their life journey and give thanks to God for those who have been companions on their life’s journey thus far. It also prepares students for a life of faith beyond their John Carroll years. Senior Retreat is currently held at Black Rock in Quarryville, PA.
Peer Ministry Program
In the Gospels, Jesus sent out his disciples two-by-two to announce the Kingdom of God. The biblical spirit of accompaniment is the foundation of our Peer Ministry Program. Peer Ministers are a group of highly motivated and faith-filled student leaders who want to serve their school community and promote the Catholic mission of our school. Peers balance a multitude of rigorous academic classes and co-curricular activities.
This student leadership team is open to Juniors and Seniors. Applications open in the spring of each year and students are selected to serve throughout the following school year. Students work directly with the Mission & Ministry Office to plan and run various events and programs throughout the year. Peer Ministers attend Sophomore and/or Junior Retreats to lead activities such as prayer services, small groups, warmers/icebreakers and witness talks. They also take part in Freshman Orientation Days, Lenten small faith-sharing groups and much more.
Prayer is the raising of one’s heart and mind to God...
As a faith community, we contemplate the presence of God in our lives throughout the day and express our relationship with God through various forms of prayer. Every morning before the first class and every afternoon at the end of our academic day, the John Carroll community pauses and reflects in prayer.
As part of our commitment to prepare students to be spiritually centered and morally grounded, the Mission & Ministry Office provides numerous opportunities to participate in liturgy and prayer.
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Opportunities for liturgy & prayer
- Daily Mass at 7:20 a.m. in the St. Jude Chapel
- Confessions during Advisory each school day
- School-wide Masses on Holy Days and special occasions
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (Adoration) offered on Thursdays during Lunch Mods
- Daily prayer at the beginning and end of each school day
- Monthly Youth Nights
Book of Remembrance & All Souls Memorial
Please submit the names of family, friends and loved ones who have passed away. These names will be included in Book of Remembrance, which is displayed in the St. Jude Chapel at John Carroll during the month of November. If you have more than one name to submit, please submit a separate form for each. Please note, names remain in our Book of Remembrance year after year, and your loved one will continue to be included in our prayers.
