Living our Values: THE VISION Nurturing Our Catholic Community Religion & Family Life Department Newsletter

Easter Season 2013

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Habemus Papam! We Have a ! Welcome Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the son of a railway worker, was born on December 17th, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He trained as a chemist before entering the Jesuit order and he was ordained in 1969. Pope Francis was named a cardinal by TCDSB—Three Year Blessed Pope John Paul II on February 21, 2001. He is the first Jesuit to be elected pope and the 266th pope and leader of 1.2 Pastoral Plan billion Catholics around the world. FAITH 2012-2013 Pope Francis’ Coat of Arms and Motto The Vatican indicated that Pope Francis chose to keep the same HOPE 2013-2014 coat of arms he had as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and he CHARITY 2014-2015 picked the simplest ring out of several models offered him. The papal symbols have been added to his coat of arms: a gilded miter, and crossed gold and silver http://www.tcdsb.org/ keys. The monogram is the symbol Board/ of Francis' Jesuit order. NurturingOurCatholic- Community/ For his motto, Pope Francis chose FaithHopeAndCharity/ “Miserando atque eligendo," Latin Pages/Faith-Hope-and for "Having had mercy, he called -Charity-Prayer.aspx him." The Easter Season

We celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ this year on Easter Sunday, March 31st, 2013. Because Easter is the most Explore the Development and important feast in the Christian calendar, the Easter season continues Peace webpage to see how you can participate in the Canadian on for 50 days, through the Ascension of Our Lord to Pentecost Catholic Church’s work in peace Sunday. and justice. The Ascension of Our Lord, which occurred 40 days after Jesus Christ http://www.devp.org/en rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, is the final act of our redemption that Christ began on Good Friday. On this day, the risen

Christ, in the sight of His apostles, ascended bodily into Heaven (Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11).

Pentecost Sunday occurs 50 days after Easter and it is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church (Acts 20:16; 1 Cor 16:8). Pentecost https:// celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, and marks educationforjustice.org/ the end of the Easter Season in the Liturgical calendar. This year, Pentecost falls on Sunday, May 19th, 2013. Login: Toronto Catholic Remember to change your prayer table cloth to white during the Password: summer2012 Easter Season.

Pope Francis - Servant Leadership

“...And now let us begin this journey, the Bishop and the people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of broth- erhood in love, of mutual trust…” Pope Francis (March 13, 2013)

April 8th, 2013

Blessed John Paul “The one who is highest up must be at the service of II Day for TCDSB others...” Pope Francis (Holy Thursday, 2013) April 8th, 2013.

May 2013 - Year of Hope Loyola Press 3 Minute Daily Retreats Elementary & Secondary In-services

http:// www.loyolapress.com/3- One Elementary Religion Rep from each elementary school is invited to Minute-Retreat-shared- attend a Year of Hope in-service during the month of May 2013. The In- meals.htm services will be posted on PAL.

AREA DATE LOCATION OF IN-SERVICE Religion Education/Family Life Website:

Areas 7 & 8 May 14th Blessed Mother Teresa http://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/ BoardServices/ReligionFamilyLife/Pages/ Areas 5 & 6 May 15th St. Patrick’s School Default.aspx Areas 3 & 4 May 22 Msgr. Fraser, Norfinch Campus

Areas 1 & 2 May 29th Don Bosco

All Areas May 29th Chaplaincy Leaders - St. Gabriel’s Church Archdiocese of Toronto Easter Season

http://www.archtoronto.org/ Northern Spirit Games events_news/pdf/ celebrating_easter.pdf

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:1, 31) th Despite sub-zero temperatures, the 8 annual Northern Spirit Games held in February this year, were a big success. Several Loyola Press TCDSB students from grades 4, 5, and 6, trekked across the city Sacramental Preparation to participate in this year’s activities. Resources for Special Needs Students The games began with a beautiful opening ceremony that was based on the teachings of the Medicine wheel. As a drummer and the instrumentalists called the assembly of students to prayer, vocalists singing a cappella and liturgical dancers soon followed suite. Several readers then led the prayers which reminded students about the sacredness of Mother Earth and our connection to nature. Students from Annunciation, St. Agatha, St. Charles Garnier, St. Richard, and St. Vincent de Paul, that were involved in leading the opening and closing ceremonies of the Northern Spirit Games this year, are all to be congratulated for their hard work and preparations that made this year’s games a great success. http://www.loyolapress.com/ special-needs-confirmation- Michelle Peres - Religion & Family Life Dept. products.htm

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STUDENTS SING PRAYER FOR FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY Catholic Curriculum Corporation On March 21, 2013, the kindergarten students in Mr. Nangini's class, at St. School, sang live for Elementary & Secondary the TCDSB a beautiful rendition, and their version, of the Resources Prayer for Faith, Hope, and Charity. This year marks the http:// first of the three year plan, known as The Year of Faith. The www.catholiccurriculumcorp.o students of St. Antoine Daniel School were asked to include rg/resources.asp this prayer during opening exercises. These JK/SK students took it one step further, and tested the lyrics with nearly every possible children's tune. Finally, they struck a chord Adapted Elementary with The Farmer in the Dell, and they never looked back! Wording for the Here's Mr. Nangini and Ms. Gargaro's kindergarten class singing the prayer for Faith, Hope, and Charity to the tune OCSGE of this children's classic. Enjoy! Sally Rivers, Principal http://stream02.tcdsb.org/communications/ Prayer_St_Antoine_Daniel.wmv

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM POLICY DOCUMENT Grades 1 - 8

A new Ontario Catholic Elementary Curriculum Policy Document , Grades 1 - 8 for Religious Education has been developed, and endorsed by the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario. The new Policy Document is I AM A BELIEVER! a move to a more rigorous curriculum where the basic tenets of the Christian story and Christian living are well I HAVE A VOICE! understood. I HAVE IDEAS! The six strands of the Religious Education Policy will form I AM A LEARNER FOR the framework for developing programs. LIFE! (Believing; Celebrating; Living a Moral Life; Praying; I AM A TEAM Living in Community; Living in Solidarity) PLAYER! The type and nature of resources are currently being I CARE! assessed. Please review the Ontario Catholic Elementary I HAVE Curriculum Policy Document for Religious Education at RESPONSIBILITIES! the following link: http://www.iceont.ca/ice-publications.aspx

4 Catholic Education Week on line resources from Upcoming Events: OCSTA http://www.ocsta.on.ca/ Catholic Education Week—May 5th-10th, 2013 catholicEducationWeek.aspx The theme is, “Growing Together in Faith”

Respect for Life Week—May 13th-17th, 2013 http://www.tcdsb.org/News/othernews/Documents/Board% 20Respect%20for%20Life%20Resource%202013.pdf

Final Journey of the Witness to Faith Cross —May 30th, 2013

Bereavement in Our Catholic Schools Jesus on Trial- Presented by St. Fidelis Parish Resource document: On March 25th, “Jesus on Trial", was presented to students in TCDSB. This play, directed by St. Fidelis’ own Claudio Grossi, as well as Vince bereavement_resources.pdf Tarantino, is an adaptation (by the young people of St. Fidelis Parish) of a play written by the late Father Evasio Polo. The original version was first performed in Maple, Ontario in 1991. It is the Passion of our Lord which is put into a modern context filled with controversial issues of the day. Twenty-two years later, those same controversies permeate the social fabric of our society and the Good News of the Gospel is used to respond to those issues which we still face today. Poetic license is used to highlight the confrontation between Jesus and Satan in the Garden of Gethsemane where the Prince of Darkness tempts Christ with visions of YEAR OF FAITH the future. A battered wife and a victim of bullying are presented to Catholic Social Teaching Christ by Satan in an effort to stop Jesus' mission. Later on in the play, Resource link: representatives of the 21st century are called upon to defend Christ as He stands before the Sanhedrin facing his accusers. http://www.tcdsb.org/ Are we, the people of the 21st century, any more enlightened than the Board/ mob that demanded of Pilate that Jesus be crucified, or are we just as NurturingOurCatholicCom- blinded by the illusions and temptations that existed in the time of munity/ Christ? This wonderful adaptation left the audience thinking about how FaithHopeAndCharity/ Documents/Social% they can respond to the Saving Story today. 20Teaching% Cathy Profiti - Religion & Family Life Dept. 20Connections%20to% 20Religion%20and% 20Fully%20Alive% 20Programs.pdf

5 RELIGION DEPARTMENT STUDENTS SKYPE CARDINAL COLLINS ABOUT CONCLAVE Program Coordinator Anne Marum [email protected] A Student Perspective Religion Resource Teachers On Tuesday March 20th, fellow students and I, at Father Henry Carr Elementary Panel Secondary School, along with students from Saint Eugene’s elementary Glynnis-Hope Dawson school, took part in a Skype conversation with our very own Cardinal, Areas: 1, 2, 3 Thomas Collins. This event was one of the most exciting events in my life, to [email protected] meet our highly praised Cardinal. It was an honour for me to start off the Cathy Profiti conversation with the very first question, asking him “what qualities the Areas: 3, 4, 5, 6. Cardinal were looking for in the new Pope”. Cardinal Collins replied that [email protected] there were many things they were looking for, especially charity work, global leadership, and representation. Cardinal Thomas Collins is not only a Michelle Peres religious leader but a humorous, life-loving soul who really inspired us to Areas: 6, 7, and 8. take initiative on our faith and make the best of life. Overall the experience [email protected] was an honour and it was an exciting moment to get to talk to our Canadian Cardinal who was one of the 115 cardinals who were in the conclave to choose a new pope. Cardinal Collins described the experience as, Secondary Panel “Awesome “ Deb Gove - Religion Resource Shereen Niranjan - Chaplaincy Leadership & Catholic Teacher’s Centre Grade 11 [email protected]

Thank you to all those who contributed ideas, articles and photographs for this Easter A Staff Perspective edition of the Religion and Family Life Newsletter - The Vision. Can you imagine the faces of the students who had the opportunity to Skype with Cardinal Collins who was in Vatican City for all of the excitement and the election of Pope Francis. It was priceless! The students from Father Sincerely, Henry Carr and St. Eugene had his undivided attention and they were Anne Marum, Editor thrilled to be able to ask so many questions and to have him answer them so frankly and candidly. One question that I believed stood out was the

question about what it would have been like if he were elected Pope. Cardinal Collins admitted that even Pope Francis was a bit concerned and commented that he thought he was getting dangerously close to being elected so he had better think of a name. Cardinal Collins, when asked about his experience of being a part of the conclave, said it was an awesome experience. Father Henry Carr School was a hub of activity that morning when Mr. Fernandes, the students from Carr and Mr. Gallo, and the students from St. Eugene were interviewed by CTV, the Etobicoke Guardian and CP24. It was an exciting experience for all who took part. Deb Gove—Catholic Teacher Centre & Religion Dept. FIRST ANNUAL ORDINANDI DAY PROGRAM On Tuesday March 5th, 2013, schools from across the Diocese, from five different school boards, attended the first annual Ordinandi Youth Lunch organized by the Serra Club, Office of Catholic Youth and Staff from Toronto Catholic District School Board. This day came to fruition after receiving feedback for a more “youth friendlier” event. Schools started arriving at 9:00am to the sweet sounds of Joe Zambon. As students and staff settled in, they had the opportunity to grab a coffee/tea and meet and greet with other schools. As Hall A/B at Pearson Convention Centre filled up, Joe Zambon took the soft melodic music he was performing up a notch and had staff and students standing, clapping and interacting, singing their praises to God. With students and staff energized, the opening skit performed by St. Patrick students, from TCDSB, provided focus for the Ordinandi Youth Lunch. The skit entitled ‘Everything’ by Lifehouse, explored the meaning of suffering and struggle, yet God being present at all times. This theme continued to be explored in the next activity, where schools designed a billboard highlighting strengths in their community. Both the skit and activity were excellent spring boards to the testimonies from the Seminarians (Ordinandi) and Sisters. The Seminarians and the Sisters also did a marvellous job of hashing out the theme with personal testimonies of struggles and suffering before choosing religious life as a vocation. As they spoke, students were encouraged to write their questions to be asked later in the day. Throughout the testimonies, students and staff listened carefully; hopefully a vocation or two will come from those in attendance. To end the day, lunch was served, questions were answered and closing remarks and prayer from Bishop Kirkpatrick lead to Joe Zambon ending in praise and worship; a successful inaugural Youth Ordinandi Lunch indeed! Linton Soares - St. Patrick CSS