Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
PASTORAL PLAN
School Name:
School Mission Statement:
The staff of St. Anthony believes each student should be guided to grow in the image of Christ.
Our mandate is to encourage in children the life-long desire to learn and find joy, delight, and
enthusiasm in the learning experience. Our school reflects the community as an instrument
which aids parents and the church in the formation of the young - spiritually, intellectually,
morally, physically, and socially. Students should grow in their sense of self-worth, respect for
all members of our community, personal responsibility in the use of freedom, and love of God.
Students have the right to go to school. With that right comes the responsibility to respect the
rights of others. Discipline is an educational process, which teaches responsibility. This process
ultimately directs our students to self-discipline and responsible independence.
School Motto: A community of learning on a foundation of faith.
Pastoral Plan Links to Strategic Plan/Catholic Board Learning Plan:
 Link: Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Strategic System Plan
 Link: Catholic Board Learning Plan CBLP 2013-2016
Our Parish: St. Anthony of Padua
Pastor: Rev. Joseph Pham, Administrator
Parish website: www.stanthonyofpadua.ca
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Message from the Pastor:
Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope you all had a great summer and welcome back to the Church as we start our new school year as
of Sept. 7/2015. My name is Father Joseph Pham and together with Fr. Mani Zacharias, we are both
new to the parish. The Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto has sent us here to serve at St.
Anthony of Padua Parish. We are both very happy to be here and we are here to live among you and to
serve you. So, please pray for us so that we can be the faithful priests in order that we can serve you,
the faithful.
As we begin the month of September things are going to get busy here at the parish and I am sure it will
be busy at your home as well. Our parish community at St. Anthony of Padua, we believe that the Lord
is always present here with us. Jesus gathers us together as a family every Sunday so that we can be fed
by the Word and the Eucharist. Indeed the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life." We
are gathering here to be nourished with the Word of God and the Eucharist so we can be sent out into
the world and be a living presence of Jesus to our brothers and sisters. We really encourage your family
to attend Mass on Sundays. Besides coming to Mass on Sunday, I also encourage your family to spend a
few minutes daily to pray together. When a family prays together, they will stay together. We invite
the Lord to come into our family and share with us our joy and sorrow. Parents/Guardians are called to
be the example of faith for your children. Indeed, parents/guardians are the first teachers of faith to
your children. The children can look up to you as examples of faith for them.
I also ask you to join a parish ministry. Here at St. Anthony of Padua we have so many different
ministries you can join: Choir, Lector, Eucharist Minister, Altar Server, Pastoral Care Team, Hospitality
Committee, Ushers, Teacher volunteers..... It is important to share your gifts and blessings with the
parish community and together we can turn our parish into a place of love where all people are
welcome.
This year, thanks to volunteer teachers, we will have a tutoring program at our parish on Saturdays,
beginning in October. More details will be announced soon. You can bring your children from grades 212 if they need help in Math, English or Science. Also every Saturday we also have a music class offered
for free. We hope to train some of our young people so that later on, they can play music for the
church. I also need more volunteer teachers, and if you can help us one hour a week on Saturdays, the
children in our community will really appreciate it. I am also happy to announce that we have just hired
a Youth Director.
Starting in October, we will have confession and 7pm Mass every Tuesday evening with the Devotion to
St. Anthony of Padua our parish Patron Saint. I would like to ask you to come and we give praise and
thanksgiving to God and ask St. Anthony of Padua to intercede for us.
We need to come together as a family so that we can help to build up our parish together. Together we
can make a difference with the help of God. I ask you to please keep me and Fr. Mani in your
prayers. And May God bless you and your family always. Fr. Joseph Pham
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Message from the Catholic School Council:
The St. Anthony Catholic School Council is an integral part of our school community. Through the active
participation and collaboration of parents/guardians, we strive to ensure that all students reach their
full potential in a faith filled environment.
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.
The theme for Catholic Education Week 2016 is “Opening Doors of Mercy”. The five sub-themes are:
Monday: Mercy that Welcomes
Tuesday: Mercy that Loves
Wednesday: Mercy that Forgives
Thursday: Mercy that Lives the Gospels
Friday: Mercy that Rejoices
During Catholic Education Week families are invited to join us for a variety of classroom activities
showcasing Catholic Education. Our week culminates with a school wide retreat day where students
participate in faith based activities based on each sub-theme.
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.
*The Rosary Apostolate group visit our school monthly, teaching our students about the
rosary and praying sections of the rosary. In May we celebrate Mary with a culminating
liturgy.
*We have an active youth faith ambassador group at the school.
*School Wide Retreat Day – Advent and Catholic Education Week
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*Staff Faith Ambassador shares faith formation opportunities with colleagues
*Staff start professional activity days with Mass at the church
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
First Reconciliation
First Holy Communion
Catechism Sessions
Grade 2
January 11, 2016 @ 6:30
April 9, 2016 @ 3:00
Grade 7 and 8
November 7, 14, 21, 28,
2016@ 6:15
December 21, 2015 @ 7:00
February 21, 2016 @2:30
Confession
Confirmation
Liturgical Celebrations:
The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and
share in prayer.
Celebration
Opening/Thanksgiving Mass
Advent Mass
Ash Wednesday Mass
Lenten Mass
Closing Mass
Class Masses
Date
October 2, 2015 @ 1:00
December 8, 2015 @ 10:00
February 10, 2016 @ 9:00
February 16, 2016 @ 10:00
June 7, 2016 @ 1:30
Individual classes attend 9:00 mass regularly
throughout the year
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.
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*Our school supports Share Life through our monthly Toonie Tuesday Activities and our spirit
week.
*Our Youth Faith Ambassadors organize food drives during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and
Easter seasons.
*We hold an annual Terry Fox Walk to raise money for the Terry Fox 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.
*The Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations are highlighted in our monthly newsletter.
*We have included recognition awards for grade 8 graduates who exemplify each of the
OCSGE’s.
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.
We have monthly assemblies where we acknowledge students who have demonstrated the
virtue of the month and highlight the key messages for the upcoming virtue. On our daily
morning announcements we share messages about the monthly virtue; giving students ideas
on how they can demonstrate the monthly virtue in our day to day lives at school, home and
in the community.
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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.
We have sacred spaces in all classrooms, library and office. These spaces are meant to be
living spaces that change throughout the year to reflect the liturgical seasons and themes
students are focusing on in the religion and family life curriculum. Some core items in the
space include cross, bible, prayers, cloth (white, green or purple to reflect the liturgical
season) along with student created items. As you enter the school we have a stained glass
window above the front doors that was designed by our graduating class to reflect our
patron saint and school. Throughout the year student work is displayed reflecting the
liturgical season and themes from the religious education and family life curriculum.
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.
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 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
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