Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
PASTORAL PLAN
School Name:
School Mission Statement:
W
St. Raphael School provides an environment which fosters the Gospel Values
enabling our students to maximize their potential to love, learn, work and serve
as Jesus did.
School Motto: Working Together in Harmony
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: Our Lady of the Airways
Pastor: Father Lorenzo Salandanan & Father Jimmy Joseph
Parish website: www.ourladyoftheairways.com
Message from the Pastor:
Our Lady of Airways Church assists the students, parents and staff of Holy Cross
Catholic School to answer to the foundation call of Baptism. Through collective
actions and words we inspire our community of believers to answer the call to act
justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly, to serve generously and to live peacefully.
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Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
In developing a renewed appreciation of hope in the Church, we accept our
spiritual gifts. We promote unity within our Church community by gathering
together, sharing a common prayer.
We invite you to share in Sunday Mass with your family. You are most welcome
to join the St. Raphael School community in masses and liturgies at Our Lady of
the Airways Church.
God Bless.
Message from the Catholic School Council:
The Catholic School Council at St Raphael is committed to recognizing and keeping our beliefs as a main
priority in all of our dealings. During our monthly meetings our opening prayer always reflects either a
saint or event that is current. We have an update from our parish rep that gives us all the details of the
month that are happening at our parish and the Council has a display cabinet that changes with the
seasons and incorporates our faith. Also, all members of the parent council are dedicated to be
representatives of our faith.
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.
At St. Raphael we will have special prayers and classroom liturgies during Catholic Education Week.
To prepare us for the week we will be celebrating Mass at St. Raphael on April 31st.
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
Other events will be announced closer to the actual date.
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Pastoral Plan
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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.
We have an after school Rosary Club for students and their families where they pray together
and make rosaries for their own use, for students who will receive their sacraments this year,
and for sale to raise money for social justice causes.
We have a very large Youth Faith Ambassador group who participate in commissioning and
retreats, plan and lead liturgies and masses and take part in social justice projects.
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 First
Communion
Sacrament of Confirmation
Grade 2
Thursday, February 18, 2016
at 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Grade 7 and 8
May 1, 2016
Liturgical Celebrations:
The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and
share in prayer.
Celebration
Thanksgiving Mass
Remembrance Day Mass
Advent Mass
Christmas Mass
Ash Wednesday Mass
Easter Mass
End of Year Mass
Date
October 15, 2015
November 11, 2015
December 1, 2015
January 5, 2016
February 10, 2016
March 31, 2016
June 21, 2016
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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 typically participates in two ShareLife Spirit Weeks every year where we raise
money for ShareLife as well as focus on social justice issues.
We usually have food drives three times a year that support our local needs, parish initiatives
and the Knights Table.
Our school has a large and active breakfast, snack and lunch program involving almost all of
our students.
Our school community support the needy in many other ways that are dealt with in ways that
preserves the dignity of all involved.
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 teach and exemplify these expectations in
our classrooms and in all of our interactions with others.
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 the virtues are celebrated and certificates and medals are
given out to about 30 students every month.
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Pastoral Plan
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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.
In our front foyer you will find a beautiful life sized statue of Our Lady. You will also find
two large stain glass windows in the entrance area. We keep our school alter in the foyer as
well as well as many other signs of our faith. Each class and most other rooms have a crucifix
on the wall. Every class has a prayer center and other symbols of our Faith. You will find
posters with faith messages throughout the school.
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
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