All School Masses & Prayer Services

School Liturgies are celebrated just about once a month. The Padua Franciscan High School Community holds that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives.

Eight all school Masses are celebrated on Holy Days of Obligation and several other special days throughout the school year, including the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

Students participate in prayer services throughout the year, both with their Theology Class and together with the entire student body.

Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered to the Padua Franciscan Community during  Advent and Lent. Students celebrate the sacrament during their Theology classes.

Students are encouraged to reflect on God’s grace which is present in the Sacrament. We are all invited to experience the forgiveness which is present in the sacrament.

Ways to Get Involved:

• Peer Ministers
• Reach Out Ministers
• Eucharistic Ministers
• Music Ministers
• Retreat Leaders
• PFPJ (Padua Franciscans for Peace and Justice)

Overview of Retreat Experiences

Campus Ministry provides each student the opportunity to experience a yearly class retreat.  Retreat experiences are facilitated by the Campus Ministry Team, various Faculty/Staff Members and Peer Ministers. Campus Ministry strives to meet the spiritual and developmental need of the students.

Padua has the most comprehensive retreat program in the area. Students will participate in a retreat every year that focuses on developing relationships with each other and God. Since 1998, we have been offering the Kairos Retreat to our Juniors. Senior year, students can choose from eight different retreat options, from backpacking and biking to canoeing and hiking.

Summary of Annual Retreats

Freshman Retreat

The Freshman Retreat is a one day retreat that has a focus on each student’s relationship with Family, Friends, Self, and God.  This retreat is led by Faculty and Peer Ministers.

Sophomore Retreat

The Sophomore Retreat is a one day retreat with a theme of Discipleship and Service.  Students participate in service projects at various agencies in the Greater Cleveland area and share their experience of performing service.

We explore Jn. 13:1-17 and 1 Cor. 12:4-13 and reflect on the idea that we are all part of the Body of Christ. We may have different talents and gifts but the same Spirit gifts us all.

Junior Retreat

The Junior Retreat explores the various ways to pray and the need for prayer in our lives.  Students will get the chance to experience prayer in a variety of ways both formal and informal.

Kairos Retreat (for juniors)

Kairos is an intensive witness-based retreat for juniors. The retreat is led by a Senior Kairos team with witnesses given by students and faculty. The three or four day retreat is held at the Jesuit Retreat House in Parma.

Senior Retreats

Seniors can select one of the following eight options.

Various activities give the seniors the opportunity to…*Grow in knowledge of self  * Grow closer to friends  *Grow closer to God

Art and Nature

Students are given the opportunity to reflect on God’s presence as we spend the day in the beautiful MetroParks. Through community building activities, hiking and art experiences, this becomes a powerful retreat experience.  Students are able to spend time deciding what parts of their life they wish to carry with them into the future, as well as the things currently in the lives they wish to change.  A peaceful time to hear their Creator guiding.

Biking

The Biking Retreat follows the Towpath through scenic Peninsula. Seniors reflect on their journey through high school. Faculty and students bike together, stopping occasionally to hear a witness talk which helps students reflect on God’s love.  Students experience a healing service that focuses on the ministry of St. Clare.

Camp-Hike

What do you carry throughout your life journey? The Camp-Hike Retreat helps students reflect on what they carry in their heart as they journey through high school and embark on their journey into the future. The retreat challenges the students to hike about 8 miles.

 Girls of Grace

The Girls of Grace Retreat helps young women to reflect on what it means to be a Woman of God. Seniors are invited to reflect on what they have learned at Padua Franciscan High School. They consider the people that have influenced their lives and who have helped to form them into the women that they are today. The seniors are given a chance to consider what they wish to carry with them into the future as well as reflect on the things in their lives they wish to leave behind. The young women are asked to pause and prayerfully consider the type of person they wish to be in the future and how they are working towards that goal today.

Hiking

The Hiking Retreat takes students to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  Seniors reflect on their journey through high school and their life so far.  Faculty and students hike together, share together and pray together as they reflect on God’s love.  Students are invited to experience a healing service that focuses on the ministry of St. Clare.

Leap of Faith – Zip Line

Seniors are invited to reflect on their life through team building experiences at Camp Cheerful and a zip lining opportunity at Go Ape, in Strongsville. Students are invited to look back on their life thus far and gain courage to ‘let go’ and rely on the ‘belay systems’ of their lives as they begin their future after high school.

Men of Faith

The Male Spirituality Retreat, held at Camp Cheerful in Strongsville, helps young men to reflect on what it means to be a Man of God. Seniors are invited to reflect on what they have learned at Padua Franciscan High School. They consider the people that have influenced their lives and who helped form them into the men that they are today. The seniors are given a chance to reflect on what they wish to carry with them into the future, as well as the things in their lives they wish to leave behind. The senior men are asked to prayerfully discern the type of person they wish to be in the future and how they are working towards that goal today.

Urban Plunge

Seniors choosing this retreat will travel to the inner city for a day-long opportunity to serve the poor in the Cleveland area.  The Urban Plunge Retreat helps students reflect on what they carry in their heart and challenges them to discern how God is calling them to serve.  The retreat draws to a close with a visit to the Capuchin Volunteer House where these seniors will reflect on their experiences during the day and participate in an evening prayer service with the Capuchin Community.

Padua Franciscan Mission Trip

Students have the opportunity to participate in both international and domestic mission trips.  The goal of the mission trips is to provide students with the opportunity to serve the least of our brothers and sisters.  Students gain a sense of solidarity with the poor by working alongside them.  Past mission trips have taken students to Honduras, El Salavdor, and St. Louis.  We currently travel to the Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic Mission Trip

Students have the opportunity to travel to Higuey, Dominican Republic. The mission involves both physical and spiritual labor. Volunteers spend a week building homes in a small village. Our students also work with the village children, teaching them valuable lessons in vacation bible school.

This is a week long experience in June. For more information about the organization with which we travel, visit Mission Possible.

A Franciscan Response to Those in Need

Padua teaches students to live in the spirit of St. Francis and St. Clare by reaching out to those in need. One of the ways our community serves others is through our Prayer Blanket Ministry. Our former Campus Minister Deacon Bob Grgic started Padua’s Prayer Blanket Ministry in 2007. When we learn a student, parent, sibling, alumni or friend is ill, in need of encouragement or strength, we pray for them and send them a blanket. Every blanket is blessed and prayed over by our students and faculty. For more than a decade, our blankets have comforted hundreds of people all across the country and the globe in their time of need or celebration. It is an incredible ministry that continues to surround people with God’s love.

Prayer Blankets have been distributed for the following special occasions:

• Births
• Deaths
• Illness
• Weddings

If you or someone you know who has a connection to the Padua community would like to request a prayer blanket (at no cost), contact Campus Ministry or click here to request a prayer blanket.

Through the Christian Service Program, all students of Padua Franciscan High School are offered the gifts of humility and poverty in spirit as they follow the example of Saint Francis in loving service to others through Jesus Christ.

Students are required to perform four years of Christian Service at Padua.

General Requirements of the Franciscan Service Program

Students will receive specific requirements for each year through Campus Ministry orientations and Theology classes.

Freshmen Service

Freshmen are able to complete ALL 20 required hours by serving in ANY of the following categories:

• On campus Padua Franciscan High School volunteer opportunities
• Parish or Church Community volunteer and service opportunities
• Padua Franciscan Campus Ministry sponsored service ministries
• Neighborhood and community service and social justice organizations

Sophomore Service

Sophomores are required to complete 20 hours of service.  

Up to, but no more than 10 hours can be completed by the following:

• On campus Padua Franciscan High School volunteer opportunities
• Parish or Church Community volunteer and service opportunities

The remaining 10, or up to all 20, can be completed by the following:

• Padua Franciscan Campus Ministry sponsored service ministries
• Neighborhood and community service and social justice organizations

Upperclass Service

Juniors and Seniors are required to complete 15 hours of service through the 

following categories:  

• Padua Franciscan Campus Ministry sponsored service Ministries
• Neighborhood and community service and social justice Organizations
• Opportunities for Social Justice Engagement

The Service Requirement is a pass/fail grade to indicate completion of service hours.

Justice and Solidarity

Students are encouraged to take advantage of Mission Trips and the St. Francis School Partnership.  In addition, Padua stu­dents have the opportunity to learn about Catholic Social Teach­ing and par­tic­i­pate in social action events orga­nized by this net­work of students and teach­ers from Catholic high schools and col­leges from across the Dio­cese of Cleveland. An exam­ple of a Catholic social action event is stu­dents tak­ing part in the annual Rally for Life in Washington, DC.