Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
PASTORAL PLAN
School Name:
School Mission Statement:
The Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Elementary School community exemplifies and
is committed to fulfilling Jesus’ message of faith, hope and love. Together with our
parish and community partners, we provide a safe, caring and welcoming environment
that promotes the Virtues of respect, teamwork and friendship in light of our academic
achievements. The students will be encouraged to model their faith and leadership,
rooted in the traditions of Catholic Education.
School Motto: "Our Learners, Our Leaders"
Pastoral Plan Links to Strategic Plan/Catholic Board Learning Plan:
 Link: Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Strategic System Plan
 CATHOLICITY: We are called to affirm our Catholic Faith, in word and action and
in all that we do.
We gather for prayer services and liturgies to celebrate our faith with our school
community. We model the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations and
exemplify the virtues in our interactions with others.
 Link: Catholic Board Learning Plan CBLP 2013-2016
Creating Catholic conditions for well-being and engagement must be at the forefront
and at the core of every opportunity for learning and leading in an environment that
is safe, caring, equitable and inclusive. Catholic conditions for well-being, learning,
and leading consistently include the following five elements: spiritual, physical,
emotional, social, and intellectual.
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Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
We participate in liturgies, prayers and nurture faith development and Catholic
culture by:
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Being actively involved within the faith life of the school and school
community;
Setting direction for faith development through consultation with the
liturgical committee, pastor & school council;
Celebrating and respecting the liturgical calendar (e.g., Advent, Christmas,
Lent, Easter, feast days);
Ensuring that signs and symbols of the Catholic faith are evident throughout
the school;
Providing budgetary consideration to promote faith development for staff,
students, School Council, school community and the school environment;
Recognizing special events by inviting guests (Trustees, Pastor, community);
and
Supporting and participating in board and family of school’s events.
Our Parish: St. Patrick (Brampton)
Pastor: Rev. Vito Marziliano
Parish website: N/A
Message from the Pastor:
Liturgical life in our Catholic Schools is not an “added on” subject. It is an integral part of our daily life,
studies and commitment. We believe that God is the Wisdom that has called into being every aspect of
creation, and has called us to share in this awesome task. Inviting children and their families, staff and
administrators to share day by day through prayer, study of Scripture, liturgy, and examination of daily life in
the light of God’s Word and action in our life, we grow in the awareness of who we are, what our mission is,
and the unique value of every human being. Working together, family-parish-school, we become a living
page of God’s Word and a faithful instrument in God's hands. I feel blessed in sharing this journey with you.
Sincerely,
Fr. Vito Marziliano,
Pastor
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Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
Message from the Catholic School Council:
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Council is an active participant in the Faith formation and
Sacramental journey of our students. In efforts to support and nourish the seeds of faith we ensure
each sacramental milestone is celebrated, for our grade twos, sevens and eights. Beyond financial
support for retreat expenses we gift each student with a keepsake. It is only through full collaboration
of family, school and parish that we can promote our Catholic virtues and a loving respect for them.
Catholic Education Week Theme: Opening the Doors to Mercy
Throughout Catholic Education Week, we ask you to reflect on the significance of Catholic education’s
presence and contribution in our Church, and in our society.
May 1 – 6, 2016 is Catholic Education Week.
School community mass, May 2, 2016
Parents are invited into the school to observe and participate in classroom activities
Supporting materials are purchased and are available in the library
Faith Formation:
Forming ourselves in our Catholic faith is a foundational element in helping each of us
understand and live in the example of Christ.
Opportunities for Adult faith development are supported and facilitated throughout the year.
Board and Family liturgical events include: Faith Ambassador Gatherings, Masses, Retreats
and Seder Meals.
School Liturgical events include First Thursday of the month Liturgical celebrations, offering
special Intentions, Faith Day Liturgies, Shrove Tuesday & Family Advent celebrations and
Stations of the Cross.
Opportunities for student faith development are also supported throughout the year with our
school wide monthly Virtue Assemblies and student involvement in various Outreach programs
such as food, clothing & toy drives and the B.A.G.S. initiative. As well the grade 2, 7 & 8
Sacramental retreats and school wide Advent retreat enhance the faith development of our
students.
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Pastoral Plan
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Sacramental Preparation:
As Catholic we understand sacraments to be "outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace."
Together in partnership with our parish, we support the preparation of God’s children in
receiving the sacraments.
Event
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Sacrament of Confirmation
Grade 2
January 25, 2016, 7pm
Grade 7: Wed., Apr 27, 2016,
7pm
Grade 7: Wed., May 4, 2016,
7pm
Grade 8: Sat., Dec 12, 2015,
2:30pm
Sacrament of Confirmation
Sacrament of Confirmation
Sacrament of Communion
Grade 7 and 8
Saturday, May 14, 2015
Liturgical Celebrations:
The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and
share in prayer.
Celebration
Opening School & Thanksgiving Day Mass
Remembrance Day Prayer Service
Advent – Family School Mass
School Community Mass
Ash Wednesday Prayer Service
Our Lady of Lourdes Feast Day
Stations of the Cross – Prayer
Service/Presentation
Easter Mass
Crowning of Mary Mass
Year End Mass
Date
Thurs., Oct. 22, 9:30 AM
Wed., Nov. 11 , 10:45 AM
Thurs., Dec. 10, 7:00 PM
Tues., Jan. 19, 9:30 AM
Wed., Feb. 10, 1:00 PM
Thurs., Feb. 11, 9:30 AM
Thurs., Mar. 24, 1:30 PM
Fri., April 8, 9:30 AM
Mon., May 2, 9:30 AM
Tues., June 28, 9:30 AM
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Pastoral Plan
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Social Justice / Outreach Activities / Charities:
Catholic Social Teachings of the Church root our actions in supporting human dignity and the
preferential option of the poor which calls us to serve the most vulnerable in the world.
Our school will readily respond with humility, to the needs of the larger community with
sincere intentions of pleasing God, by supporting various Outreach programs:
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B.A.G.S.
Food Drives (Four times a year)
Knight’s Table
Canadian Cancer Society (Terry Fox Walk & Daffodils)
Share Life/United Way
Coats for Kids – Knightsbridge
Helping Hands – For Seniors in retirement homes
Royal Canadian Legion - Poppies
Toys For Tots – Through Peel Police
Cops for Cancer – Through Peel Police
Adopt a Family via St. Patrick’s Church
Autism, Diabetes and Down Syndrome Societies
Sick Kids Hospital Foundation
Recognizing Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations:
Framed by the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE), our graduates will be
effective communicators, reflective thinkers, lifelong learners, collaborative contributors, caring
family members, responsible citizens and discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith
community.
To celebrate OCSGE, we as a school community….
We explicitly teach the OCSGE and connect them to our Virtues and Learning Skills. We
highlight the expectations at each of our Virtue assemblies. OCSGE posters are visible in the
classrooms and school.
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Pastoral Plan
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Celebrating Virtues:
A virtue is a habit or established capacity to perform good actions according to a moral
standard. When we practice these virtues we strengthen them and thereby make the presence
of God more and more visible in the world around us.
Our Virtue activities consist of the following:
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Highlighting the virtues on our daily announcements
Monthly assemblies
Classrooms highlight the virtue of the month with icons and activities
Front foyer features the virtue of the month with posters and icons
Virtue of the month is highlighted in the monthly newsletter
Monthly library display of virtue books and resources
Student recognition certificate for those who exemplify the virtue of the month
r
Visible Signs of our Faith:
Through symbol and service, we are instruments of God’s love whose work within our
communities stands as a witness to our faith.
The Visible Signs of our Faith in our school include:
The Altar and Cross in our school foyer, classroom Prayer Tables with Bible, Candle, and
Crucifix. Foyer displays include Our Lady of Lourdes Statue & Mural, Rosary, Seasonal Liturgical
Symbols – Crucifix, Advent Wreath and Banners, Nativity Scene, and monthly Virtue banners.
Seasonal liturgical celebrations include Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Advent, Our
Lady of Lourdes Feast Day, Ash Wednesday & Lenten Bracelets, Lenten banners and Stations
of the Cross on Holy Thursday, Easter and Crowning of Mary. Students volunteer community
service such as lunch and teacher helpers, recess monitors, PALS and also help maintain the
Peace Garden.
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Pastoral Plan
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Resource List for Parents:
 Religious Education Curriculum - Ontario Religious Education Curriculum
 Family Life Curriculum - Ontario Family Life Curriculum
 Fully Alive Program information - Ontario Bishops' information on Fully Alive
Resource List for Schools:
Board
 Vocations Units
We have Vocations units as part of the Grades 2, 5, and 8 curriculum. The goal of these
supplementary units is to deepen one’s understanding of God’s call – the “vocare” – to
various forms of life within the Church.
 History of the Parish
Through the resource book Our Story, Our Tradition, Our Journey, grade 7 students have
the opportunity to learn about the history of our parish.
 Enduring Gift Video
School-Based
 Our Lady of Lourdes website Parish tab
 Church bulletin available in school foyer
 School Council Parish Rep liaison shares information from Parish to Council
 Teacher reference and student library resources
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