Themes of Reconciliation and Renewal Launch Catholic Education Week in Ontario

TORONTO, May 1, 2017 /CNW/ - This week all of Ontario's publicly funded Catholic schools will be celebrating the significant contribution that Catholic Education has made to local communities, the province and to Canada. Catholic Education Week runs from April 30 to May 5 and encompasses various activities developed under a specific theme.

The theme for this year's Catholic Education Week is:

Catholic Education: Walking Forward Together
L'éducation catholique: Aller de l'avant ensemble

This theme is drawn from three contemporary Catholic documents that address the need for reconciliation and renewal – in our lives, with our families, with those outside of our families, with our environment and with our common global future.

The first document is the 2016 response of the Canadian Catholic Bishops to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission that stresses the need to heal past injustices by "Walking Forward Together." The second is the 2015 papal encyclical, Laudato Si': On Care for Our Common Home by Pope Francis that emphasizes the cultural roots of our world's ecological problems and advocates urgent world collaboration for the care of our common global home. The third document, Amoris Laetitia: The Joy of Love is a 2016 Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis, which applauds the dedication and concern shown to children, families, migrants, the poor, the elderly, and to persons with special needs, as a sign of the Spirit. These supportive relationships are a test of our commitment to show mercy in welcoming others and to help the vulnerable, to be fully a part of our communities.

The Catholic Education Week biblical quote, "Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8), acknowledges the important role of justice and solidarity in the lives of Canada's Indigenous peoples, the environment, the poor and marginalized, and all those who work to protect our common global future.

There are five sub-themes, one for each day of Catholic Education Week and they are aimed at helping staff and students to reflect more fully on what Walking Forward Together asks of them.

The five sub-themes are:

Day 1:	Walking Forward Together with God  /  Aller de l'avant avec Dieu
Day 2:	Walking Forward Together with Our Families  /  Aller de l'avant avec nos familles
Day 3:	Walking Forward Together with Others  /  Aller de l'avant avec les autres
Day 4:	Walking Forward Together with Creation  /  Aller de l'avant avec la Création
Day 5:	Walking Forward Together in Hope  /  Aller de l'avant dans l'espérance

Catholic Education Week is marked by special activities at all grade levels, including prayer celebrations and service activities.

SOURCE Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association

Sharon McMillan, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations, Tel: [phone], ext. 232, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ocsta.on.ca