A Responsible Citizen
A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life. A Responsible Citizen Who:
(a) Acts morally and legally as a person formed in Catholic traditions. (b) Accepts accountability for one’s own actions. (c) Seeks and grants forgiveness. (d) Promotes the sacredness of life. (e) Witnesses Catholic social teaching by promoting equality, democracy, and solidarity for a just, peaceful and compassionate society. (f) Respects and affirms the diversity and interdependence of the world’s peoples and cultures. (g) Respects and understands the history, cultural heritage and pluralism of today’s contemporary society. (h) Exercises the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizenship. (i) Respects the environment and uses resources wisely. (j) Contributes to the common good. |
Church and School
1. To what extent is your school a church for your students? Think beyond the school masses and consider the day-to-day life of the school and perhaps your class in particular. Consider the role for students, parents, administrators, teachers, and the church community (clergy, youth ministers)
School is an important part of the triad relationship shared with home and Church. This relationship supports a community of people and their relationship with God (Lavin 142). The school community is welcoming and inclusive, as it celebrates all of God’s creations and God-given talents. Individuals are taught to be respectful neighbours through their daily interactions with one another. The individuals within the school are known by name, live out authentic selves and are celebrated for their God given talents. The Church and school share the same relationship within a community (145). "Although the work of educating is accomplished by different agents, it is parents who are primarily responsible for education” (Circular Letter on Religious Education in Schools). Catholic parents entrust their children to schools that provide a Catholic education (Circular Letter on Religious Education in Schools). Home is connected to both Church and school as parents are not the only and exclusive educating community for our students (Circular Letter on Religious Education in Schools). The school allows leaders to fulfill a religious education that is integrated into the education of each student. Through daily teachings of Gospel values and Jesus’s teachings, leaders animate all members of the community (132). The presence of Christ exists through the whole assembly of the People of God (138). Thus, Catholic schools have a presence of Christ as the leaders (educators, administrators etc) are People of God. In the day-to-day life of the school, students participate in daily prayers, monthly mass or liturgy, interact with the prayer table, chapel, and rosary. In addition, priests visits from the local parish to provide an opportunity for reconciliation and have class drop-in sessions where they have a question and answer period. All these aspects are for everyone in the community (including teachers) to participate in. The sense of community among all members shows students that faith is a lifelong journey. Although I am not in a specific school, I have seen that all Catholic schools provide students with religious education to help people become fully human in the image and likeness of God (O’Reilly, Bertram 93). A memory that is close to my heart is when I reconnected with my Church. Growing up I had believe that the Church was an institution. It wasn’t until I had a meeting with Priest that I began to realize that he wasn’t just there to lead mass. He was apart of a community in which he cared for as he helped them strengthen their relationship with God. Following our meeting, at mass he remembered me. He would acknowledge me by name and asked how I was doing with particular references to our conversation. I was remembered! This changed my view of the Church as I recognized that I was a member of a community who are also on a lifelong faith journey. This memory reminds me that our relationship with our students are a part of community that shares a relationship with home and Church. Thus it is through community that school is like Church.
2. How can your school come to resemble church more closely? To help you answer that question, think of what principles and practices you can learn from the early church community that you can incorporate into your classroom or school.
I believe that the triad must be strong in order for school to resemble church more closely. Children are born into a Catholic family, in which parents raise their kids and provide them with their religious education. It is then up to the parents to choose a school that will continue to develop student’s religious education. Schools must continue to uphold the relationship between both Church and home so that students are well supported in their faith journey.
Teachers insure that their classroom is guided by the Gospel values and that they are good Catholic role models for their students. I believe that in order to strengthen the resemblance between church and school, teachers must collaborate with other teachers to strengthen the community. For example, there may be valuable discussion in co-taught religion classes as it brings new perspective to the table from another leader in the community. This allows the bond among the People of God to strengthen beyond the four walls of our classroom.
In addition, teachers have a lot of requirements they must do daily; curriculum, marking and planning. With large classes, students may lose their way from time to time. By reaching out to the individual(s) we allow them to continue their journey alongside the rest of the community. Knowing our students and recognizing their contributions to our community is an important role teachers must carry on in order for school to remain a community and not an institution.
School is an important part of the triad relationship shared with home and Church. This relationship supports a community of people and their relationship with God (Lavin 142). The school community is welcoming and inclusive, as it celebrates all of God’s creations and God-given talents. Individuals are taught to be respectful neighbours through their daily interactions with one another. The individuals within the school are known by name, live out authentic selves and are celebrated for their God given talents. The Church and school share the same relationship within a community (145). "Although the work of educating is accomplished by different agents, it is parents who are primarily responsible for education” (Circular Letter on Religious Education in Schools). Catholic parents entrust their children to schools that provide a Catholic education (Circular Letter on Religious Education in Schools). Home is connected to both Church and school as parents are not the only and exclusive educating community for our students (Circular Letter on Religious Education in Schools). The school allows leaders to fulfill a religious education that is integrated into the education of each student. Through daily teachings of Gospel values and Jesus’s teachings, leaders animate all members of the community (132). The presence of Christ exists through the whole assembly of the People of God (138). Thus, Catholic schools have a presence of Christ as the leaders (educators, administrators etc) are People of God. In the day-to-day life of the school, students participate in daily prayers, monthly mass or liturgy, interact with the prayer table, chapel, and rosary. In addition, priests visits from the local parish to provide an opportunity for reconciliation and have class drop-in sessions where they have a question and answer period. All these aspects are for everyone in the community (including teachers) to participate in. The sense of community among all members shows students that faith is a lifelong journey. Although I am not in a specific school, I have seen that all Catholic schools provide students with religious education to help people become fully human in the image and likeness of God (O’Reilly, Bertram 93). A memory that is close to my heart is when I reconnected with my Church. Growing up I had believe that the Church was an institution. It wasn’t until I had a meeting with Priest that I began to realize that he wasn’t just there to lead mass. He was apart of a community in which he cared for as he helped them strengthen their relationship with God. Following our meeting, at mass he remembered me. He would acknowledge me by name and asked how I was doing with particular references to our conversation. I was remembered! This changed my view of the Church as I recognized that I was a member of a community who are also on a lifelong faith journey. This memory reminds me that our relationship with our students are a part of community that shares a relationship with home and Church. Thus it is through community that school is like Church.
2. How can your school come to resemble church more closely? To help you answer that question, think of what principles and practices you can learn from the early church community that you can incorporate into your classroom or school.
I believe that the triad must be strong in order for school to resemble church more closely. Children are born into a Catholic family, in which parents raise their kids and provide them with their religious education. It is then up to the parents to choose a school that will continue to develop student’s religious education. Schools must continue to uphold the relationship between both Church and home so that students are well supported in their faith journey.
Teachers insure that their classroom is guided by the Gospel values and that they are good Catholic role models for their students. I believe that in order to strengthen the resemblance between church and school, teachers must collaborate with other teachers to strengthen the community. For example, there may be valuable discussion in co-taught religion classes as it brings new perspective to the table from another leader in the community. This allows the bond among the People of God to strengthen beyond the four walls of our classroom.
In addition, teachers have a lot of requirements they must do daily; curriculum, marking and planning. With large classes, students may lose their way from time to time. By reaching out to the individual(s) we allow them to continue their journey alongside the rest of the community. Knowing our students and recognizing their contributions to our community is an important role teachers must carry on in order for school to remain a community and not an institution.