Cor Ad Cor: The JPII Way

Through a deliberate seven-year immersion in the charisms of our school, Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School forms saints and scholars.

Each year, one charism becomes the heartbeat of our life— through prayer, study, service, discipline, and culture—so that every graduate bears the full imprint of Christ’s gifts.

Rooted in the Gospel

At the core of each charism is the person of Jesus Christ revealed to us in scripture. Following his example, the charisms conform our lives to his that we may be a school of self-giving love, truth spoken with courage, mercy extended to the broken, and hope proclaimed in the face of suffering.

A female student holds open the bible while praying towards the camera.

Guided by the Holy Spirit

The charisms are gifts given to us for the sake of the Body of Christ and the world. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, we discover in ourselves these gifts that we are called to share with humanity. By that same grace, we are able to embody and live out the charisms in our daily lives.

Father Ohanaka wearing white and blue clergy regalia, holds up the Eucharist in front of a congregation of students.

Inspired by JPII's Vision

Saint John Paul II’s life provides us with a unifying framework. Rooted in his themes of human dignity, vocation, communion, self-gift, and hope, we seek to be the “saints of the new millennium” who are intellectually curious, spiritually grounded, and ready to engage the culture with clarity and charity.

Pope John Paul II smiling at the camera on a boat.

Formed for Mission

Following Christ’s command to “Go and make disciples,” the charisms lead us outside of ourselves, and into our community. Our goal is not only personal holiness but transforming culture to build a “Civilization of Love” marked by authentic dialogue, the recognition of our differences, our shared values, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

A group of students and teacher pose for a photo in front of Project Cure after a day of service.

“Young people of every continent, do not be afraid to be the saints of the new millennium.”

- Saint John Paul II, 15th World Youth Day

Love

Father Ohanaka places a piece of clergy regalia over a student during Mass.

Rooted in the Trinity’s self-gift, love opposes “use” and builds the Kingdom through mutual recognition of dignity (Saint John Paul II, Theology of the Body). Love is the communal sharing of life and the virtue that unites us. It challenges us not to seek our own pleasure, but to seek what leads others to Christ.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love”
- 1 John 4:8

“God is love and … [c]reating the human race in His own image …, God inscribed in the humanity of man and woman the vocation, and thus the capacity and responsibility, of love and communion. Love is therefore the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being.”

- - Saint John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio

Mercy

Students and a teacher line up for a photo holding messages of love and change at the Nashville Rescue Mission.

“Love greater than justice” (Saint John Paul II); completes justice through unmerited grace, modeled on the Cross and through the actions of the Good Samaritan. Mercy is the way we live out our identity as children of God. Just as Christ offered his life as a sacrifice, we sacrifice our wants for the sake of others’ needs.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
- Matthew 5:7

“There is nothing more man needs than Divine Mercy — that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights of the holiness of God.”- Saint John Paul II, Shrine of Divine Mercy, Krakow

Solidarity

Two female students place their hands together while laughing in a athletic stands setting.

Imago Dei and the Incarnation demand communion; we transcend division for the common good. Made in God’s Image, solidarity recognizes Christ in every person through dialogue, service, and radical openness.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it: if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:26

“...it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all.”
- Saint John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis

Courage

A female student straps on her helmet while listening to an instructor explain safety procedures.

Fortitude animated by faith; “Be not afraid” in redemptive suffering and witness. Courage is the virtue that tells us there is a truth worth fighting for—Christ. In faith we are emboldened to step into the breach, reaching beyond what we think we are capable of doing.

“Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you.” - Joshua 1:9

“Do not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness.”
- Saint John Paul II, Youth Meeting at Santiago de Compostela, 1997

Creativity

A male student draws an animal off of a back lit projector surrounded by art supplies in a classroom setting.

Co-creation (care for the earth), stewardship of beauty, and Spirit-inspired art as prayer and evangelization. Creativity is the sacred calling by which we live our identities as children of God, the Divine Creator. Through our creative acts, we make truth, goodness, and beauty present in the world as co-creators with God.

“In the image of God, He created them.” - Genesis 1:27

“God therefore called man into existence, committing to him the craftsman's task. Through his ‘artistic creativity’ man appears more than ever ‘in the image of God’, and he accomplishes this task above all in shaping the wondrous ‘material’ of his own humanity and then exercising creative dominion over the universe which surrounds him. With loving regard, the divine Artist passes on to the human artist a spark of his own surpassing wisdom, calling him to share in his creative power.”

- Saint John Paul II, Letter to Artists

Wisdom

Students kneel in a chapel setting while praying with a female holding a rosary.

Gift of the Spirit; sees from God’s perspective, guiding holiness and moral clarity. Wisdom deepens our understanding of God’s will, uniting faith and reason for love, justice, and truth.

“Blessed are those who find wisdom.” - Proverbs 3:13

“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself—so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.”

- Saint John Paul II, Fides et Ratio

Hope

A procession of altar members lead a line of students while holding up the Eucharist and shading a clergy member.

Supernatural virtue rooted in the Resurrection; sustains the mission and those who are suffering (Spe Salvi).Hope is firm trust in God’s promises, sustained by grace and animated by love.

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” - Romans 12:12

“[W]e know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery - the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.”

- Saint John Paul II, Angelus, November 30, 1986

A group of graduates in academic regalia, including caps and gowns, standing together and facing the camera against a blurred background.

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JPII's Charism Program was featured in the spring 2026 edition of Momentum magazine, a National Catholic Educational Association publication. Click on the image to read the article about our school's process for developing the JPII Charism Program.

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