Graduates and Apostles: St. John Paul the Great High School Celebrates First Graduating Class
- André Escaleira, Jr.
- 9 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The same weekend as Pentecost, the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit, JPG graduates were sent out into the world as apostles in faith, intellect and service.
It was a historic day for a young Denver Catholic school, as 35 graduates made their way across the stage for the first time. Beyond its historicity, St. John Paul the Great High School (JPG)’s first-ever graduation stood out for its emphasis on faith and mission.
‘Every Graduate Knows Jesus’
“I can say with confidence that every one of our graduates knows Jesus,” said Ed Lugo, the school’s dean of formation. “Some of our students knew Jesus before coming through our doors, and we built upon that foundation. Others came to know Jesus deeply for the first time because of the incredible faculty and staff that we have at JPG, who invited them into a deeper relationship with Christ.”
No matter when they came to know the Lord, Lugo said, the graduating seniors were challenged to go deeper in faith, whether in the classroom, on the field, on camping trips and hikes or through an explicit invitation to “meet Christ, and to come to an awareness that he has, in fact, been looking for them.”
Lugo credited the school’s dedicated faculty and staff for this transformational dynamic.
“Every day at JPG, our students were met with teachers and staff members who are convinced that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life and that Christ impacts every aspect of their lives,” he explained. “I think that's how we best serve the legacy of the man, Pope St. John Paul the Great. He was a powerful inspiration to others, and I think ultimately that was because of the deep conviction communicated in perhaps his most famous quote: ‘It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted.’”
(Photos by Madison Gonzalez, courtesy of St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School, Denver)
Unity and Friendship Amid Growth
Though only four years old, St. John Paul the Great has already experienced remarkable growth and transformation. From the excitement of establishing a brand-new school to welcoming dozens of students and faculty from Bishop Machebeuf High School following its closure in 2025, the community has embraced each new chapter with grace. These experiences have strengthened the school’s culture of unity, friendship and mission, said Ralph Pesce, JPG’s principal.
“The first graduating class of St. John Paul the Great Catholic High School is characterized by an immense gift of faith and of trust. Each and every graduating senior, whether they were founding students, formerly Bishop Machebeuf or transfer students, prayerfully said 'yes' to coming to a new school that invited them to greater trust in Jesus Christ,” he said. “Through spiritual, intellectual and human formation, the founding class forged a community that boldly proclaims that the Gospel belongs in every corner of our world. This year in particular carried with it many challenges, and I am proud of the unity and friendship that these seniors found.”
Himself a transplant from Bishop Machebeuf, Pesce recalled his own beginning at the school only a year ago — a year filled with consolation, blessing and grace.
“When I began at JPG barely a year ago, I knew I had much to learn. Like every graduating senior, I was walking into something new and unknown, uncertain as to what the year would bring,” he remembered. “But what was immediately perceptible and beyond any shadow of a doubt was that Jesus Christ is present here, and not only is he present, but he is active in each and every person that walks through these hallways. I knew that despite the challenges ahead, I was in a community that knows that Jesus is not merely a concept, but a reality. This class is a living witness to that reality.”
In short, valedictorian Francisco Salazar said, “God had a plan to bring together this group of individuals to be leaders for this school, and to take on the challenge of building a culture instead of just participating in one.”
Apostles for the World
Far from a coincidence, the school’s first-ever graduation took place on the eve of Pentecost, when the Church celebrates God’s sending the Holy Spirit among the apostles and Mary. The solemnity is recognized by many as the Church's birthday, since the apostles immediately began preaching the Good News and baptizing new Christians.
In like manner, said Jeff Kummer, JPG’s president, the school is sending apostles out into the world, on fire with faith, formed in intellect and equipped for mission. Recalling his spiel to prospective students, parents and donors, Kummer emphasized his hope for the school upon its founding.
“I would tell those prospective parents and donors that the ultimate objective — and the way we would measure our success — was to one day see our graduates launched into the world, each knowing their identity in Jesus Christ, with an innate ability to discern and walk in truth and to set this world on fire,” he said.
“I know deep in my soul that we are sending out apostles today, and we will be witnesses to this group of young people making a profound impact on this world,” he continued.
For Salazar, that impact lies first and foremost in God’s invitation to know and love him.
“If you are to take away anything from JPG, I want it to be the words of Christ saying, ‘My child, my child will you accept that I love you?’” he said. “This line haunted me, and I hope it haunts you, because Christ has poured out his love for us and is eagerly waiting to transform us, yet he can do nothing unless we allow him to change our lives.
“Let yourself be confronted by God’s immense love, reflect on your life and your nothingness. Choose to empty yourself, and cultivate a life of prayer. Be content to do even the littlest things out of love,” Salazar concluded. “Finally, embrace the love of your Heavenly Father and rest in him."
