Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
PASTORAL PLAN
School Name:
School Mission Statement:
We, the Christian community of St. Timothy School,
are dedicated to the nurturing of Catholic values and lifelong learning through
“cooperation, education and celebration.”
We believe that diversity is a part of the richness of God’s creation
and that our school promotes a sense of peace, belonging and self-worth.
School Motto:
Cooperate - Educate - Celebrate
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. Catherine of Siena
Pastor: Rev. Camillo Lando, C.S.
Parish website: www.stcatherine.ca
Message from the Pastor:
St. Timothy School is under the pastoral care of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, by the
Missionaries of St. Charles Scalabrinians. We welcome the community to join us for one of our
Sunday masses at: 8:30 AM (English) 10:00 AM (Italian); 11:30 AM (English); 1:00 PM (English);
4:30 PM (English); 6:00 PM (Misa en espanol). On the 3rd Sunday of the month, mass is offered
at 2:30 PM in Filipino Tagalog. Priests are available for Confession from Monday to Friday at
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Pastoral Plan
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8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, and on Saturdays at 8:00 AM or by appointment from 4:30-5:30 PM.
Families are encouraged to register at the Parish Office and to introduce themselves to the
Priests as soon as possible.
Message from the Catholic School Council:
The St. Timothy Catholic School Council (CSC) strives to fulfill its obligation to "promote the
vision, values, sacramental life and Catholic practices of the school and Board." The Council
serves as an advisory committee to the school principal on a number of items, including goals
and procedures for supporting the best interest of the Catholic school community. A Parish
Representative is appointed to the CSC annually to serve as a communication link between St.
Catherine of Siena Parish and the St. Timothy CSC members. The Parish Representative shares
parish information and provides guidance and support on initiatives and faith formation in the
school community.
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” which aligns with
Pope Francis’ declaration of the 2016-2017 “Year of Mercy” in the Church calendar. The
subthemes are as follows: Mercy that Welcomes, Mercy that Loves, Mercy that Forgives,
Mercy that Lives the Gospel, Mercy that Rejoices. At the start of the school year, each class
was given a decorative key for their classroom prayer table, as a symbol of opening doors of
mercy. During the week, St. Timothy School will participate in classroom liturgies and activities
that reflect these themes. Through prayer, music, reflection and meditation, drama and art,
students will come to deepen their understanding of mercy.
The week will include events such as our Welcome to Kindergarten evening, and our school
talent show. We will also be raising funds and awareness to a charity of the community’s
choice.
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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.
Dufferin-Peel has had a long-supported tradition of adult faith formation. Teachers are
encouraged to develop their faith through a number of boardwide initiatives and professional
development opportunities such as When Faith Meets Pedagogy Conference. At the
Mississauga East Family level, Faith Ambassadors gather for Advent and Lenten Celebrations.
In our school, the Adult Faith Ambassadors invite staff to prayer services throughout the year,
and particularly during the Liturgical Seasons. This year, in lieu of a December staff meeting,
our staff will be gathering for a living nativity experience as we begin the season of Advent and
“Journey to Bethlehem” on the evening of Friday, November 27, 2015.
The Youth Faith Ambassadors (YFA) is a program that invites students from Grades 5-8 to
become faith leaders in our school. From playing a role during our school masses to social
justice initiatives such as planning food drives and our Giving Angels Tree, the YFA’s play a vital
role in the faith development of our school. The Mississauga East Family of Schools also
organizes a YFA Commissioning ceremony to recognize the contributions these youth have
made in our schools.
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
Confirmation
First Communion
Registration
Confirmation Registration
DATE AND TIME
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
6:00 PM
Monday, December 7 OR
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
7:30 PM
Monday, February 1 OR
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
7:30 PM
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GRADE
Grade 8
Grade 2
Grade 7
Pastoral Plan
First Reconciliation
First Holy Communion
Confirmation
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
6:45 PM
Saturday, May 14, 2016
11:00 AM
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
6:00 PM
2015-2016
Grade 2
Grade 2
Grade 7
Liturgical Celebrations:
The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and
share in prayer.
CELEBRATION
LOCATION
Opening MASS
St. Catherine of Siena
Remembrance Day Liturgy
School
Advent Confessions
(Grades 3-8)
School
Advent MASS
School
St. Timothy Feast Day MASS
School
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
School
Lenten Confessions
(Grades 2-8)
Stations of the Cross
(Holy Week)
Year-End MASS
School
School
St. Catherine of Siena
DATE
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
9:45 AM
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
10:30 AM
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
9:15 AM
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
9:30 AM
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
9:30 AM
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
11:00 AM
Friday, March 11, 2016
9:15 AM
Thursday, March 24, 2016
1:15 PM
Monday, June 20, 2016
9:45 AM
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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October: Food Drive, Flag Football Game for ShareLife
November: Candy Drive for Dr. Simone
December: Giving Angels Tree (gift card collection); St. Vincent de Paul gift baskets
April: Cupcake Sale for ShareLife, Earth Day Used Book Sale for ShareLife
Fall: Intermediate Students Genius Hour Social Justice Projects benefitting various local
charities (e.g. Dr. Simone, Vita Manor, Canadian Book Exchange, Children’s Wish, nursing
home, etc.)
Religious Education Student Retreat: Sara Elizabeth Centre
As a school with a gold-rated EcoSchools certification, our stewardship initiatives include
reducing our eco footprint by reducing lunch waste and water bottle usage.
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.
At St. Timothy School, the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE) are
integrated in the teaching and learning in all of our classrooms from Kindergarten to Grade 8,
as Catholic education views human life as an integration of body, mind, and spirit. Our
instructional practices reflect the knowledge, skills and mindsets embodied in these
expectations, and recognize the importance of the development of the whole child in terms
of values, attitudes and actions.
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.
A Catholic faith community is rooted in a set of common beliefs about God’s will for all
people. The month-at-a-time format provides the whole school with a common language to
move and celebrate through the school year. This program provides vocabulary and
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Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
milestones for a continuous school-wide conversation about how we can creatively maintain
and strengthen a safe, caring school community that reflects the values and teachings of
Jesus Christ. Classroom liturgies and celebrations that highlight each month’s virtue allow
opportunities for students to explore and experience “What does the Virtue of
_____________ mean?” Announcements and daily prayers highlight the Virtue and remind
students what ______________ looks like, feels like, and sounds like in the classroom and in
the school yard. See more at:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Catholic+Community/Virtue+of+the+Month/#sthash.sX2mfK5V.
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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.
Signs of our faith are visible as soon as one enters the front doors of the school and are
visible throughout the school hallways and classrooms. The altar and the large display cases
in the school’s front foyer reflect the liturgical colours of the Church year and the virtues,
posters are reminders in the hallways, and each classroom has a sacred space and a cross. A
portrait of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, a large statue of our patron saint, St. Timothy, and
our school prayer are permanently displayed in the front hallway.
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
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Student Agendas
Monthly Newsletters
School Website
School Twitter Account
Library Resource Centre
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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
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Student Agendas
Monthly Newsletters
School Website
School Twitter Account
Library Resource Centre
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