Registration is now open for the two great summer camps for our parishes! Youth and adult volunteers are also needed for both camps. For more information, contact the Faith Formation office at
Holy Kids Camp
June 9-11, 2025
Grades K-5 (2025-2026 school year)
Camp video
CAMP DETAILS
Join us for Holy Kids Summer Camp led by the Pro Ecclesia Sancta Sisters at Holy Spirit & St. John Paul II Campus on June 9-11, 2025 for students in grades K-5. Cost is $15 per child with a $45 maximum per family. No one will be turned away due to financial need. Please contact the Discipleship & Evangelization office for assistance at 605-996-3842 or
Dates: June 9-11, 2025
Time: 9 AM - 12 PM
Location: St. John Paul II School & Holy Spirit Campus
Drop-off/Pick-up: Please use Entrance F of St. John Paul II School (east side in main church parking lot). There will be check-in inside the doors.
Items to Bring: Water bottle & shoes appropriate for games/running
Groups: Students will be split into groups in grades K-2 and 3-5 during the morning.
Family Night: Everyone is invited to join us for "Family Night" on Thursday, June 12 at 6 PM at Holy Spirit for a potluck supper and family Eucharistic Adoration.
Little Catholics Lake Mitchell Bible Camp
July 28-30, 2025
Grades K-8 (2025-2026 school year)
CAMP INFORMATION
July 28-30, 2025 - 8:00 - 12:30 P.M. - Camp Arroya, Lake Mitchell, SD
Grades K-8 (2025-26 school year)
Catholic youth are invited for an outdoor bible camp involving fishing, nature hikes, crafts & worship! Registration is $15 per child or $45 per family. Camp Leader is Sarah Timmer and will be run by volunteers of Holy Family & Holy Spirit Churches.
Register Online
Online payment link
[Mitchell, SD] St. John Paul II Elementary School welcomes Mrs. Sarah Timmer as the next principal of the Catholic elementary school beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
Timmer is currently the Curriculum Director for the Mitchell School District and has been in education since 2008. Timmer previously taught as an elementary teacher including third grade at Gertie Belle Rogers in Mitchell and first grade and kindergarten in Lincoln, Nebraska. Timmer holds a Master’s of Education in Administration from the University of Nebraska Lincoln and earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a Reading Minor from the University of Sioux Falls.
“Sarah brings to our school a great amount of experience in education. She is also a firm believer in the value of Catholic education not only for our Catholic Community but for any parent that is looking for an integral formation and education for their children,” says Fr. Cesar Valencia, Pastor of Mitchell Catholic Parishes and the school. “She is all about doing what is best for children. But, above all, Sarah is a disciple of Christ on a mission of sharing the good news of the Gospel through her leadership role.”
Timmer is also the founder and camp director of Little Catholics Lake Mitchell Bible Camp, a summer camp that began in 2022 and is held each summer at Camp Arroya on Lake Mitchell. The camp has grown to over one hundred students from the Mitchell Catholic Parishes from kindergarten to eighth grade. The camp includes outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking, crafts, science, experiments, songs and prayer.
"I am committed to nurturing both the mind and heart and will strive to help students develop habits that deepen their relationship with Christ."
“I am honored to join St. John Paul II School and look forward to getting to know each child personally, sharing the warmth and love of Christ with each of them,” says Timmer. “My goal is to uphold the mission of our school, which will allow each unique child to be a responsible citizen in our ever-changing world. I am committed to nurturing both the mind and heart and will strive to help students develop habits that deepen their relationship with Christ. I am eager to collaborate with teachers, engage the school community, and uphold high academic standards rooted in faith, ensuring a strong foundation for each of our children's growth and happiness!”
Timmer will succeed Principal Robin Cahoy, who has announced her retirement at the end of this school year after over forty years of dedication to the school. Cahoy joined the school, then named Holy Spirit School, in 1983 as a kindergarten teacher and was hired as Principal in 2012.
St. John Paul II School strives to create a community that promotes Catholic values, academic excellence, and stewardship which will allow each child to achieve their highest potential and become a lifelong disciple of christ.The school offers classes from preschool through sixth grade, as well as preschool-aged childcare, after–school care, and a new Summer Academy beginning this year. The school is also in year one of a three year transition to Catholic classical curriculum. More information about the school can be found at https://johnpaul2.org/.
Twenty-five high school students from Mitchell Catholic Parishes recently attended a Semper Leadership Retreat at Granite Springs Lodge in Alexandria, SD the weekend of March 28-30.
These twenty-five youth are members of the Semper Leadership Team, which plans and hosts the Semper Youth Ministry events for the high school youth in our parishes. This retreat was the second annual retreat for the Leadership Team to grow as a cohesive team and also reflect on their own spiritual life. The Pro Ecclesia Sancta priests, brothers, and sisters led the retreat.
Content included learning about the Pro Ecclesia Sancta spirituality, the importance of spiritual life, and their individual call to holiness.
"We also taught them about our principle of magis–to strive to do everything with excellence for the glory of God,” says Brother Bryan Esquivias, PES. “We then had them put these criteria into practice during the retreat as we taught them how to set the table nicely, among other things. We even had them help us cook meals, which, from their comments, sounded like they really enjoyed cooking together.”
Overall, the retreat coordinators and students felt it was a very fruitful experience, as they began to see themselves as a family within the leadership team and also grow in their own spiritual lives.
Semper was formed in 2023 and is coordinated by the Pro Ecclesia Sancta priests, brothers, and sisters. Semper consists of Semper College for college-aged youth and Semper Youth Ministry for high school-aged youth with the hope to expand middle school.
Semper College meets weekly on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM in the Holy Family Nazareth Room. Semper Youth Ministry hosts monthly events including mini-retreats with dinner, guest speakers and time for Eucharistic Adoration and other events throughout the year.
For more information, be sure to follow @Semper_college_ministry and @Semper_highschool_ministry on Instagram.
Registration is now open! Invite the youth in your life to register by January 31 to take advantage of the Early Bird discount of $275 (normally $325). This makes a great Christmas gift from parents, grandparents, or even godparents.
Discipleship Camp is a transformative experience for the youth in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. It is designed to help teens deepen their prayer life, grow in their understanding of who God is, and meet other teens who are engaged in their faith from throughout the Diocese. Youth in grades 9-12 in the Fall of 2025 can register for the high school camp, and youth in grades 7-8 in the Fall of 2025 can register for the junior high camp. The camp is located at the Broom Tree Youth & Family Camp in Irene, SD.
With the help of Lumen Christi missionaries who are committed to helping teens encounter Jesus, D-Camp makes faith come alive to hundreds of young people each summer. Through small groups, powerful testimonies, and daily opportunities to receive the sacraments, D-Camp is more than just a fun event. It is a moment in a young person's life when they step further into following God.
June 15-18, 2025 (High School)
July 13-16, 2025 (High School)
July 17-20, 2025 (Junior High)
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the office at
Exciting Summer Opportunity!
St. John Paul II Elementary School is launching a vibrant Summer Academy and is seeking an enthusiastic Administrator to lead the way! This unique program will feature creative projects, recreational fun, and engaging lessons. As the program's architect and overseer, you'll play a vital role in shaping its success.
The Academy runs from May 27 to August 8, operating from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. We are looking for an organized, energetic Catholic leader with a background in education, early childhood, or a related field—and a passion for forming Disciples of Christ. Ready to make an impact? Contact our Business Manager at 996-3639 ext. 9 for more details!