This school year, the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board (NPSC) joyfully begins the third year of its Pastoral Plan, centred on the virtue of Faith. Faith is the foundation upon which our Catholic education community grows, guiding our learning, relationships, and service in the world.
As we continue celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope, we also embrace the call to trust in God’s presence, see His work in one another, and walk together with courage and compassion. As our Director of Education, Paula Mann, shared, “It is through this shared faith that we find strength, meaning, and inspiration in both our learning and our living.”
To help animate this theme across our schools, students in the Construction Technology class at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall Catholic Secondary School, under the guidance of Mr. Adolfo Crea, spent careful time planning, carving, and constructing an 8-foot-tall wooden cross. Over the course of the year, this NPSC Pilgrimage Cross will travel to all our schools, providing students and educators with opportunities to explore the significance of Catholic faith in our daily lives.
What Does Faith Mean to Us?
Faith, one of the theological virtues, calls us to believe in God and all He has revealed. It grounds us, nurtures us, and opens us to a deeper relationship with God. Reflecting on our Year of Faith and the Pilgrimage Cross, our Board Chaplain, Father Joseph de Viveiros, C.R., shares:
Our Board’s Year of Faith dovetails so nicely with our Board’s vision, “Rooted in Faith, Alive in Spirit.” The prime symbol of our Catholic faith is the Cross of Jesus. We are excited to have our NPSC Pilgrimage Cross make its way to all our schools this year. Jesus said, “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17:20) It is our hope that this year, we may all grow deeper in our faith that can move mountains!
We warmly invite students, families, and all members of our Catholic education community to journey with us this year, reflecting on the virtue of Faith and discovering together the strength and inspiration that come from living a life rooted in God’s love.
We leave you with the following Year of Faith Prayer, written by Father Joseph de Viveiros, C.R.
