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Catholic Education Week

During the week of May 5 to May 9, 2025 the DCDSB will join Catholic schools across the province of Ontario and celebrate Catholic Education and Mental Health Week. This year our theme is Pilgrims of Hope with daily sub-themes of By honouring human dignity, By caring for creation, By responding to the poverties in our world, By serving in solidarity, and By living as peacemakers. As we continue to Live in Hope, we invite students, families and staff to dive deeper into this year's theme and make use of the resources below to help celebrate these two very important weeks in Durham Catholic.

Prayer for Catholic Education Week and Mental Health Week 2025

English Prayer

Hope is our calling, O Lord,

and the destination of our pilgrim journeys.

As we mark this Jubilee Year of hope,

keep our eyes focussed on Jesus,

and on the hope he reveals to us.

May our hope lead us to love genuinely and to live generously.

In the dignity of every human being, may we honour your presence.

In our stewardship of creation, may we care for your creatures, large and small.

As we strive to respond to the poverties of our world, may we be bearers of your compassion.

As we live as people of solidarity, may we help to heal the divisions of our world.

In our lives as peacemakers, may we share the “Shalom” which is your gift to all people.

Hope is the flame that has been entrusted to us;

may we keep it burning brightly,

to enlighten the path of our pilgrim journey.

All our hope is in you, O God,

in the name of Jesus our Lord and companion.

Amen.

French Prayer

L'espérance est notre vocation, Seigneur, et la destination de notre parcours de pèlerin.

Alors que nous célébrons ce Jubilé de l’espérance, garde nos yeux fixés sur Jésus,

et sur l'espérance qu'il nous révèle.

Puisse notre espérance nous conduire à aimer en vérité et à vivre avec générosité.

Dans la dignité de chaque être humain, puissions-nous honorer ta présence.

Dans notre rapport avec la création,

puissions-nous prendre soin de tes créatures, petites et grandes.

Alors que nous faisons de notre mieux pour répondre aux pauvretés de notre monde,

puissions-nous être porteurs de ta compassion.

En vivant en tant que peuple solidaire,

puissions-nous contribuer à guérir les divisions de notre monde.

Dans nos vies d’artisans de paix,

puissions-nous partager le « Shalom » qui est ton cadeau à l’humanité.

L'espérance est la flamme qui nous a été confiée;

puissions-nous la tenir allumée pour éclairer le chemin de notre pèlerinage sur terre,

car notre espoir est en toi, ô Dieu,

par Jésus, notre Seigneur et notre compagnon de route.

Amen.

Catholic Education Week Song

Pilgrims of Hope was written by Canadian Singer-Songwriter Nancy Bodsworth for Catholic Education Week 2025 in celebration of the Church's Jubilee Year. The song was recorded/produced at AME Studios in Kitchener Ontario by Andrew Horrocks. Graciously supported by The Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA).

Quotes for the Five Sub-Themes of Catholic Education Week and Mental Health Week

Monday: By honouring human dignity

“Human dignity is the same for all human beings: when I trample on the dignity of another, I am trampling on my own.”

- St. John Paul II

Tuesday: By caring for creation

“To protect creation, to protect every man and woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope!”

- Pope Benedict XVI

Wednesday: By responding to the poverties in our world

“Echoing the age-old message of the prophets, the Jubilee reminds us that the goods of the earth are not destined for the privileged few, but for everyone.”

- Pope Francis

Thursday: By serving in solidarity

“When our sense of solidarity has been developed to such a point that each one feels the cause of all others as their own, we shall be drawing near to international and social peace.”

- Ellen Key

Friday: By living as peacemakers

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.”

- Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ

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Faith Play Day

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Living Rosary

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