Overview of Hope SEPTEMBER Virtue: HOSPITALITY Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectation: A CARING FAMILY MEMBER Principles of Catholic Social Teaching: HUMAN DIGNITY Overview of the Virtue of Hospitality Hospitality is shown when we welcome guests including strangers and enemies into our lives with kindness. Sometimes hospitality requires that we cross boundaries and reduce some of the barriers established in our society to keep "the other" out because we believe in the ultimate dignity of every living being. Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectation -- I CARE! A Caring Family Member Who: Relates to family members in a loving, compassionate and respectful manner. OCSGE 6(a) Recognizes human intimacy and sexuality as God given gifts, to be used as the creator intended. OCSGE (b) Values and honors the important role of the family in society. OCSGE 6(c) Values and nurtures opportunities for family prayer. 6(d) Ministers to the family, school, parish, and wider community through service. OCSGE 6(e) Principles of Catholic Social Teaching - HUMAN DIGNITY In a world warped by materialism and declining respect for human life, the Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
Inspirational Quote from Heroes of Hope Change may frighten us, but it may just as surely free us from our old selves and freshen us for life newborn. Change dusts off our dreams and explodes us into new beginnings. - -Joan Chittister - Monasteries of the Heart Initiatives of Hope Every school in the Toronto Catholic District School Board will be a mentally healthy school that demonstrates pervasive caring, promotes wellbeing and achievement for students, staff, and our community. Toronto Catholic District School Board Mental Health Strategy 2012-2015 Everyday Healing and Empowering Actions Take a ten minute break every hour you re studying List five positive things in your life Go for a jog or walk outside Take ten deep breaths Make a to-do list of things that you ve already done Take a moment to pray My hope is that the description of God s love in my life will give you the freedom and the courage to discover God s love in yours. -Henri J.M. Nouwen, Here & Now.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, In the Gospel we have listened to, Jesus says something that I always find striking: you give them something to eat (Lk 9:13). Starting with this sentence I am letting myself be guided by three words; following [sequela], communion, sharing.. First of all: who are those who must be given something to eat? We find the answer at the beginning of the Gospel passage: it is the crowd, the multitude. Jesus is in the midst of the people, he welcomes them, he speaks to them, he heals them, he shows them God s mercy; it is from among them that he chooses the Twelve Apostles to be with him and, like him, to immerse themselves in the practical situations of the world. Furthermore the people follow him and listen to him, because Jesus is speaking and behaving in a new way, with the authority of someone who is authentic and consistent, someone who speaks and acts with truth, someone who gives the hope that comes from God, someone who is a revelation of the Face of a God who is love. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/homilies/2013/documents/papafrancesco_20130530_omelia-corpus-domini_en.html Caring Adult Action of the Month: One of the best ways we have of feeding our students symbolically is to listen to them. For the month of September, when you find yourself wanting to advice, or lecture either positively or in reproach, listen instead. Listen wholeheartedly, with a curious and non-judgmental approach.
Liturgical Calendar The "liturgical year" includes the first Sunday of Advent and the last week in Ordinary Time. The liturgical year consists of two times: one can call the first time special season time and the other is known as ordinary time. The special season times are, Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, during which a particular mystery of salvation is celebrated. Ordinary Time, in turn, celebrates the mystery of Christ in His fullness, especially on Sundays. Ordinary Time is divided into two parts throughout the liturgical year and in total lasts 33 or 34 weeks. Saint Days of The Toronto Catholic District Board September: Monsignor Fraser and St. Gregory September 3 Blessed Mother Teresa September 5 Josyf Cardinal Slipyj September 7 Birth of the Blessed Virgin September 8 Jean Vanier September 10 Dante Alighieri and Holy Cross September 14 Our Lady of Sorrows September 15 St Robert Bellarmine - September 17 Father John Redmond and St. Matthew September 21 St. Maurice September 22 Sts. Cosmas and Damian + *Canadian Martyrs - September 26 St. Vincent de Paul September 27 St. Michael, St. Michael Choir, St. Raphael, St. Gabriel September 29 *Sts. Jean de Brebeuf, Noel Chabanel, Isaac Jogues, Rene Goupil, Gabriel Lallelmant, Jean de La Lande, Charles Garnier, Antoine Daniel.
Sept. 8 - International Literacy Day Literacy contributes to peace as it brings people closer to attaining individual freedoms and better understanding the world, as well as preventing or resolving conflict. Sept. 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day observed every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world. Sept. 20 We Day (Air Canada Centre Toronto) We Day is more than just one day of celebration and inspiration. We Day is the movement of our time a movement of young people leading local and global change. Sept. 21- International Day of Peace The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21 each year to recognize the efforts of those who have worked hard to end conflict and promote peace. The International Day of Peace is also a day of ceasefire personal or political.
I CARE! Ministers to the family, school, parish and wider community through service. OCSGE 6(e) HUMAN DIGNITY Hope and Hospitality Quotes and Scripture Passages: I welcome every creature of the world with grace. Hildegard of Bingen quoted in Wrestling with the Prophets by Matthew Fox How should one live? Live welcoming to all. Mechtild of Magdeburg quoted in Open Mind by Diane Mariechild Welcome him with Christian love and with great joy, and give him the honour that people like him deserves. (Philippians 2:29) In a time where there is little reverence for the image of God in the human person, we are summoned to care for human life with an ultimate respect. (This Moment of Promise) All are one in Christ. (Galatians 3:28) Discussion Starters for Hope and Hospitality: Write a prayer that expresses your hope for a better world and also taps into the Source of Hope for you. Any attitude can be reinforced by working with the image that you attach to it. Recall the image and you resurrect the feeling. Here is an exercise based on an image of hope. Try this or adapt the format to your own images of hope... Close your eyes. Breathe out one time. Find yourself standing outside on a very cloudy day. Looking around you, notice how all the plants, buildings, and objects are becoming lighter and brighter. Look up and see the sun in a cloudless sky. Then open your eyes.
Seeing sports fans cheering their team, or an audience clapping for a performer, can serve as a reminder for you to practice hope. What hopes do you have for your immediate community, whether it s hope for your friends, neighbours or family? As an ice-breaker at the next meeting, go quickly around the circle, each answering these questions: Are you a better guest or host? Which would you rather be? How can we strengthen our virtue of hospitality? What signs of hope do you see in your school community in terms of welcoming others? What areas can your school improve on? Tell a story about an encounter with another religion a conversation with a believer, a visit to a sacred site, attendance at a ritual, or use of a practice and what you learned from the experience. Reflect upon a time when you were treated by a family member in a loving, compassionate and caring way. Discuss a time when you were welcomed into a new group or into someone s home. What did your peers and/or hosts do to make you feel at ease? Then reflect upon how you can be hospitable in other settings, such as at school, work or in your community. Discuss a time when a group to which you belonged excluded someone from membership because they were different. How do you feel about this action? Reflect upon what it means to be a caring family member who respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good. How is being a caring family member bringing you closer to living a life in the light of the Gospel values? Read the Parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25: 31-46). Brainstorm, in groups of 4-5, how we can, in a very practical way, live out Christ s commands to feed, comfort, welcome, support those in need in our own families.
I CARE! Ministers to the family, school, parish and wider community through service. OCCGE 6(e) HUMAN DIGNITY The following Catholic Schools are among some which have received Exemplary Practice Awards from the TCDSB or Speak Up Grants from the Ministry of Education. These Catholic Schools from around the province illustrated Hope in Action in their schools through various clubs and activities. May they serve to spark inspiration and innovation in your school, as your Catholic Community lives out the call to care for human life with an ultimate respect. (This Moment of Promise) Title: WISPs-Worldly International Student Peer Support Program Created by: Blessed Pope John Paul II Catholic Secondary School: REFLECTION ON ACTIVITY: What fears and hopes might new members of a community feel in terms of belonging? Tell of a time when you either welcomed or were welcomed at school. What did you or the other person do to make you feel welcome? Description: The transition of international/esl students to living in a different cultural environment and studying in a different educational system can be challenging to both the students and the staff of the host school. This project describes the Worldly International Student Peer Support (WISPs) led by a team of counsellors, teachers and domestic students using various approaches to smooth this transition especially within the first year of their sojourn. The purpose is to give physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs to international/esl students. In return, our domestic students can widen their perspectives on the world from learning about other cultures. Title: Get REAL (Rebuilding Equity Attitude & Leadership) REFLECTION ON ACTIVITY: How did Jesus show inclusivity in his words and actions? How might we imitate Jesus in our daily lives and as a school community with regard to our interactions and welcoming/ acceptance of others who are different? Description: Student leaders invited 20 students from their 18 feeder schools to join them in planning a Get REAL (Rebuilding Equity Attitude & Leadership) conference for Grade 6 and 7 students. The goal of the conference was to build a school community for newcomers, create friendships through understanding differences and help dispel the misconceptions many students bring to their first years of high school. Guest speaker Alvin Law, who lives with a disability, was the
keynote speaker, and workshops addressed issues such as racism, stereotypes, religion, socioeconomics, ageism, disabilities, body image and learning styles. At lunchtime, the school s culinary class provided a barbecue for all in attendance. At the end of the day, participants had a wide range of new ideas and learning to take back to their schools and share with other students. Project Type: Student-Led Teacher-Facilitated Grade(s) Impacted: 6, 7, 11, 12 School Name: St. Marguerite d'youville SS School Board: Dufferin-Peel CDSB Title: Take A Stand- Class Activity REFLECTION ON ACTIVITY: The Catholic Church proclaims that the dignity of the person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. The following questions prompt students to reflect on what it means to support and promote the dignity of each individual and to speak up when that dignity is not being respected. Place a line down the middle of the classroom and establish that one side is I agree and the other is I disagree. Make a series of statements to the class and students move to the side they feel best suits their response to the statement. If students are comfortable they may share reasons for or against with their classmates. Guiding Statements: 1. Roles within families should be distributed equally. 2. Teenagers have little to contribute to family life. 3. There are more stereotypes placed upon non-traditional families than there are on traditional ones. 4. A caring family member is one who puts other s needs before their own. 5. A caring family member is more apt to contribute more to home, school and parish than those who take family for granted. Other ideas you can try! Sharing a meal is a traditional way of extending hospitality. If possible, invite a new friend to sit with you during lunch today! Practice hospitality with the next video you rent. Set aside any tendency to criticize, any need to give a "thumbs up/thumbs down" response or to set standards for the acting and directing. Befriend the film, entrusting yourself to its images. Afterwards, talk about what you have learned from this approach. Volunteer to be part of a welcome wagon project in your community.
I CARE! Ministers to the family, school, parish and wider community through service. OCSGE 6(e) Media links: HUMAN DIGNITY Journey of Hope - Directed by Xavier Koller A Turkish couple sell their land and sheep and head off to Switzerland with their young son, leaving behind the rest of their family. They are filled with hopes for a better life. The journey is arduous, humiliating, and filled with betrayal and disappointment. Director Xavier Koller celebrates the courage and the hope of these refugees who are shamefully treated by both those who prey upon them and those in Switzerland who are quick to close doors on ethnic outsiders. Journey of Hope, a Swiss film, won the Academy Award in 1990 as Best Foreign Language Film. The Hurricane A mesmerizing drama is based on the true story of imprisoned boxer Hurricane Carter who is tossed a lifeline of hope by caring citizens. Rick Hoyt you-tube - Ironman Triathlon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddnrlv6z-mm World Family Organization www.worldfamilyorganization.org Salt and Light: http://saltandlighttv.org/brotherandre/ Video: Reflection on Brother Andre http://saltandlighttv.org/brotherandre/videos.php#highschool
I CARE! Ministers to the family, school, parish and wider community through service. OCSGE 6 (e) Prayers: HUMAN DIGNITY Faith, Hope and Charity Prayer Loving God, we pray that the Toronto Catholic District School Board community continue to witness to the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. May we be people of FAITH, always willing to follow the example of Jesus in all that we do. May we be people of HOPE, always trusting in your loving presence in our lives. May we be people of CHARITY, always willing to give of ourselves to better the lives of others. Together, may we be a community of faith, anchored in hope, with heart and charity. Through, Christ our Lord. Amen God of love, Jesus the teacher, Spirit of wisdom, we place our dreams and our cares before you. Be with us in our hope, be with us in our anxiety, be with us in our learning, and be with us in our friendships. Let us know that you are always walking with us, to give us courage and strength for the journey through this school year. Bless the students and teachers gathered in this school; for those new to the school, May they feel welcomed. For those who are new to our community-- May they feel welcomed. For the staff of this school, may they grow in their love of this community. Amen. Loving God, help me to be the sort of teacher whom students remember as a guiding light who motivated them to be better people; whom colleagues learn from through collaboration. Help me to inspire a generation of students to make the world a better place. Help me to serve as a beacon of hope for them through their educational and spiritual journey. Help me to be a good teacher and a good listener. Help me to be present in the moment and teach with eyes, ears and heart open to the needs of those around me. Amen
The Guest House This being human is a guest house. Every morning is a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Rumi The Letter to the Hebrews (13:2) in the New Testament contains the same advice: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. As we renew our relationships with peers and teachers, we notice all the fresh faces in our community new students and new staff members. Let us welcome them with open arms. Let us make them feel at home. Let us allow them to experience the special warmth of our community and the mystery of God s grace at work in our lives. For a spirit of hospitality and hope as we start this school year together. We pray to You, Lord. Response: Lord, hear our prayer. In thanksgiving for the summer just passed, and everything that was good about it. We pray to You, Lord. Response: Lord, hear our prayer. For the wisdom and courage to welcome and include those who are new or different to our work places and social gatherings. We ask you Lord to hear our prayers. For those who are starting a new life in Canada, and especially for refugee families. We ask you Lord to hear our prayers. Affirmations: I will make everyone feel welcomed and appreciated. I will value all people as Children of God I will use my words to help not harm. Whenever I meet people who are thrashing about in gloom and doom, I vow to hold up the banner of hope. When I look up at the radiance of the stars, I am reminded to let my enthusiasm for life shine brightly. I love God, myself and my family. I care about and respect my 'family' at school, at Church, in the community, and the world. I care about and respect God's creation and everything in it.