Our Mission

The John Paul II Center for Lifelong Faith and Ministry Formation, an initiative of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, provides catechesis and formation to the faithful of southeastern Wisconsin. In order to help enrich faith and deepen a sense of discipleship, the John Paul II Center support Catholics in spiritual growth and guides them to live their faith through service to the Church and the greater community.

The John Paul II Center services include:

• Opportunities for adults to enrich their knowledge of the Catholic faith and its relevance in daily life
• Programs to prepare, support, and strengthen marriage and family life
• Guidelines for parish religious education, sacramental preparation, and youth ministry
• Formation and certification of catechists, teachers, youth ministers and catechetical leaders
• Campus Ministry at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
• Young Adult Ministry
• Vocational discernment for diaconal and lay ecclesial ministry
• Diaconate formation

To provide these services, the John Paul II Center has five main areas:

• The Office of Catechesis and Youth Ministry
• The Office for Diaconate Formation
• The Office for Lay Formation
• The Nazareth Project for Marriage and Family Formation
• Campus Ministry - UW-Milwaukee & UW-Whitewater

Operational principles of the John Paul II Center include: 

• At the foundation of everything we do is our relationship with Christ
• We value hospitality
• We value a spirit of collaboration
• We value starting small, doing it well, and growing it slowly
• We value the person in front of us