Roncalli Service
Service Learning at John XXIII College.
Service is central to our mission of forming young people of competence, conscience and compassion. The Roncalli Service program – named after Angelo Roncalli, who became Pope John XXIII – embodies our commitment to seek justice and our belief in the transformative power of encountering others with generosity and care.
Roncalli Service is our Christian service-learning program, engaging students from Primary through to Senior School in purposeful acts of service, structured reflection, and leadership. Inspired by the lives of Pope John XXIII, Venerable Mary Ward and St Ignatius Loyola, the program calls students to become 'people for others' – sharing their gifts, seeking justice, and showing genuine concern for others.
A JOURNEY OF SERVICE
Building understanding and commitment from Primary to Secondary School.
PRIMARY
Early service experiences, such as Muffin Monday and food drives, introduce students to the joy and responsibility of giving. These formative encounters lay the foundation for a lifelong orientation toward others.
YEAR 7
Students begin their journey with service at home and within their family. The focus rests on the values of Pope John XXIII and the Gospel message: 'Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40)
YEAR 8
Service expands to include home, College, and parish where, students are encouraged to be 'good neighbours,' inspired by the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and the witness of Mary Ward.
YEAR 9
The focus shifts to community engagement, including school-time visits to Aegis Montgomery House, where students build intergenerational connections with residents through activities such as games, art and conversation, reflecting on the call to 'wash another's feet' (John 13:4-15) and the example of St Ignatius Loyola.
SENIOR SCHOOL (YEARS 10 – 11)
Students are called to serve the wider community and the Catholic Church, with a focus on humility, hospitality and courageous leadership, inspired by the words of Fr Pedro Arrupe and the Gospel of Luke (14:7-14).
SIGNATURE SERVICE EXPERIENCES
1000 MEALS PROGRAM
John XXIII College proudly supports The Shopfront – a Catholic outreach offering unconditional respect, dignity, and hospitality to those facing hardship, homelessness, food insecurity, and isolation in Perth.
Each year, students and staff work together to cook 1000 meals in our commercial kitchen for Shopfront, providing vital support to those experiencing hardship and demonstrating the power of collective action.
MUFFIN MONDAY
Primary students and their families bake muffins for Shopfront, introducing our youngest students to the quiet dignity of giving, and the difference a small act of generosity can make.
FOOD AND DONATION DRIVES
Our College organises regular food and donation drives in support of organisations including Caritas, St Vincent de Paul, and CARAD, as well as our pilgrimage partners Jesuit Mission and Mary Ward International. These drives connect students' generosity to real and tangible outcomes, both locally and globally.
THE IMPACT OF RONCALLI SERVICE
Transforming perspective, building character.
Roncalli Service shapes people. Through sustained, hands-on engagement, students develop genuine empathy, ethical awareness and a deepened sense of social responsibility. They learn to see the world through the eyes of others, to act with both kindness and conviction, and to carry the Ignatian call to justice into every dimension of their lives.
A COMMUNITY OF SERVICE
Roncalli Service is sustained by the whole College community. Staff play an integral role, volunteering alongside students at Shopfront – a Catholic outreach centre supporting people experiencing hardship in Perth – and serving meals and offering companionship at St Mary's Cathedral twice each term. Their involvement models our belief that service is not a program but a practice.
Parents are warmly invited to participate through Roncalli Care, an initiative of the Parents' Association that extends the spirit of service into the lives of College families.
Keep Exploring Co-Curricular
