St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School to open in Denver

St. John Paul II (Screenshot from St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School Facebook page)

The Archdiocese of Denver recently introduced a new Catholic school that will soon rise within the Denver community. 

On Saturday, Oct. 30, the Archdiocese will conduct an open house for the new St. John Paul the Great Catholic School, as Denver Catholic reported.  

The opening event will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School gym located at 2256 S. Logan Street. The open house reportedly aims to let the community learn more about the new faith-based education system. 

Ongoing Construction

The new school could be found in Denver’s old Rosedale Elementary School. It is adjacent to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

According to Denver Catholic, phase 1 of the construction is expected to finish by late spring, and renovations are still underway. Its target inaugural year will be between 2022 to 2023. 

The school will be open to students from ninth and tenth grade. It can reportedly accommodate up to 440 students. 

Co-Ed School

While St. John Paul the Great is a Catholic high school, it will still be open to all families in Denver, as mentioned in the report. 

Denver Catholic said the newly independent and co-ed school will have a rigorous curriculum, especially for Math and Science subjects.

Parents can also expect a “robust sports program” amplified with the formation of fine arts, backcountry adventures, and pilgrimage. 

According to the report, the new school results from prayer and dialogue of community priests, educators, and benefactors. 

Leaders in classical education reportedly developed St. John Paul the Great. They also collaborated with the members of Companions of Christ, a community of priests from Denver. 

The said group has a mission to serve as sacramental chaplains. But they also aim to serve as teachers in classrooms. 

Additionally, they help the Archdiocese to form evangelization among students.  

Catholic Formation

As reported, the team behind the new school believes that an additional Catholic school is necessary for Denver. They believe that a robust Catholic education is a must due to the ideological forces in today’s education. 

The team also said that families have always been looking for a Catholic formation that is “joyful, Marian, and mission-oriented.”

St. John Paul the Great board member Rosemary Vander Weele said that they recognized the parents’ mission of raising future saints. Weele is also the principal of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.

“St. John Paul the Great exists to support families in offering a high school experience full of joy that will form young men and women who will bring the truth of Christ to the culture,” she added.

Weele added that St. John Paul the Great is committed to working on students’ human formation. The school also vows to promote the “presupposition of true orthodoxy.”

As mentioned, Pope John Paul II— the inspiration behind the school—visited Denver 28 years ago. 

On World Youth Day in 1993, the pope’s presence in the event turned the city into the center of the New Evangelization. As reported, it was a massive event with thousands of people at the Mile High City.

The phenomenal religious event is said to have changed the attitude of people in Denver dramatically. It also highlighted the community’s perspective about the Catholic Church.

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