Catholic Education Week 2018: Renewing the Promise

Catholic Education Week 2018: Renewing the Promise

Introduction

Each year, the Catholic community of Ontario engages in a week-long celebration of the unique identity and distinctive contributions of Catholic education during Catholic Education Week. This year’s celebration is entitled, “Catholic Education: Renewing the Promise” and will be held during the week of May 6 – May 11, 2018. The overall scriptural theme is “For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” Acts 2:39

We are reminded that publicly funded Catholic education is a call to service. Regardless of our position or responsibilities within Catholic education, our role is a call, birthed in our Baptism, to bring the saving message of Jesus Christ into the lives of those students whom it is our privilege to serve. This reality elevates our duties and responsibilities to another plane. Left to our own strengths and abilities, the task seems and is very challenging, but we are not alone in this task. Jesus promised us the abiding strength of the Holy Spirit to be with us always – not just for a century or two at the church’s beginning, but always. But the promise is predicated on our faithful and faith-filled response to that call to service following the example of Jesus who said, “I am in the midst of you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27

The five sub-themes for Catholic Education: Renewing the Promise are:

Monday:Remembering the Promise

Faire mémoire de la promesse

Tuesday:The Promise is Within You

La promesse est en toi

Wednesday:Praying the Promise

Prier la promesse

Thursday:Living the Promise

Vivre la promesse

Friday:Proclaiming the Promise

Annoncer la promesse

The purpose of the Elementary School Resource Kit is to provide opportunities for students to engage in meaningful activities and reflections to deepen their awareness and understanding of both the gift and the responsibility of Catholic education. The Elementary Resource Kit contains:

Eucharistic Celebration/Prayer Service

Lessons for primary, junior and intermediate divisions based on mentor texts that focus on each sub-theme

Faith Play Day activities

A Living Rosary

Notable quotations for reflection organized by sub-themes

Feel free to adapt any of the materials in this package to suit your school’s specific needs. Materials may be found on the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) website at encourage all of our partners in Catholic education to reference the Elementary and Secondary Resource Kits as well as past issues for prayers and activities, as many may be appropriate for this year’s theme.

Sincerely,

Catholic Education Week Resource Committee

Paul Beaudette

Janet Bentham

Sr. Pat Carter

Nancy Davie

Paul DeVuono

Laura Hughes

Sebastien Lacroix

Amy LaFroy

Stephanie Maher

Cindy Morgan

Katharine Stevenson

Catholic Education Week Partners Group

Neil MacCarthy, Archdiocese of Toronto, Director, Public Relations & Communications

Dan Smith, Archdiocese of Toronto, Liaison for Catholic Education

Ben Smith, Ontario Student Trustees’ Association, President

Christina Atrach, Ontario Student Trustees’ Association, Vice-President

Nick Milanetti, OCSTA, Executive Director

Sharon McMillan, OCSTA, Director of Communications

Brian O’Sullivan, OCSTA, Director of Catholic Education

CEW Song – Words and Music

Susan Hookong-Taylor, Toronto CDSB