Feb 23

Written by:
23 February 2016 

The John Paul II award began in September 2014.The award is offered to all students in Transition Year from around the country, but in particular to students from the Kildare & Leighlin Diocese. There is three levels in which can be rewarded to participants of the John Paul II awards; Gold, Silver & Bronze. 
The award entailed volunteering in our local community life for at least one hour a week, which ran for 20 weeks. The headings that our hours were linked with were: Parish Involvement and Social Awarness. ‘Parish Involvement’ entailed undertaking an activity within the church, and ‘Social Awarness’ entailed undertaking an activity in the community. The record card, recorded the hours we part took in for the 20 weeks. 
As part of my Parish Involvement, I part took in a five to six week Eucharistic Ministers coarse in my local parish, Graiguecullen/Killeshin Parish Centre, which was ran by the Parish Priest and our award leader. After the training-coarse, I officially became a Eucharistic Minister. Other activities which helped me receive my award upon my Parish Involvement were retreat days in the parish centre, cutting prayer cards to place at all the doors for those who attended mass both during the week and at the weekends. I also helped out at any special masses that took place during the year such as our Solemn Novenas. 
As part of my Social Awareness hours, I coached in the local soccer and Gaelic club which I am still currently apart of although my award has finished. In November 2014, I volunteered to part take in my local G.A.A Strictly Come Dancing, in which we practiced two nights a-week. This really helped me to conclude my social awareness activities for my award.
During Easter 2015 as part of our award, all the participants from Graiguecullen/ Killeshin Parish were asked to raise €50 and participated in our 24-hour stay awake on Easter Saturday to Easter Sunday. The stay-awake started from 8 am Saturday morning and at 6.30pm we met in the parish centre where we went to Easter Saturday mass together.
Everybody passed the challenge of staying awake, as time was passed by games of poker, music and a couple of horror movies.
On Easter Sunday morning we set off in the dark, cold night to the hills of Rossmore and Oisin Park, Killeshin. Mass of the Easter Vigil was celebrated by the Bishop of the diocese and our Parish Priest’s. As dawn broke and the sun rose, it was a reminder of Jesus rising from the tomb on Easter Sunday.
On Friday 5 February, all participants from the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin received their awards from Bishop Nulty.
After Completing the John Paul II gold award, some of the participants will process and take part in the next stage of the award, the Papal Cross award.
John Paul II recipients: 
Silver: Jack Byrne Murphy (Graiguecullen/ Killeshin Parish)
Gold: Eoin Delaney, Dean Malone, Shane Bolger (Graiguecullen/ Killeshin Parish), Sam Dunne, David Roche (Cathedral Parish) Padraig Whelan (Knockbeg College)
Papal Cross Award: Anthony O’ Shaughnessy (Graiguecullen/ Killeshin)
Dean Malone