An Introduction to Our Pastoral Themes 2023-2026
The vision of the Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board (NPSC) Pastoral Plan 2023-2026 is that we nurture our faith and service development based on the three theological virtues of Love (Charity), Hope and Faith. A pastoral plan is spirit-led and intended to animate our Catholic education system and unite us in our faith as a community. Our pastoral plan themes will guide our faith journey in this beautiful and inspiring tradition of the Church for the next three school years. The new annual pastoral themes for NPSC call us to express our faith through our NPSC vision and mission statements.
The annual pastoral themes will support the NPSC Multi-Year Strategic Plan - ENDs and will continue to nurture the partnership between home, school, and parish and the great gift of Catholic Education. The NPSC pastoral themes were intentionally selected to follow a particular sequence. Each annual theme is illuminated with connections to Scripture, song, prayer, the Renewing the Promise pastoral letter, Catholic Social Teaching and the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church shares that human virtues are rooted in the theological virtues which enable us to participate in the very life of God. They dispose us to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. They have the One and Triune God for their origin, motive, and object (CCC 1812). The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its distinctive character. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as God’s children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being (CCC 1813).
The Catechism defines Charity (Love) as the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for God’s own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (CCC 1822). Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1817). Finally, Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that God has said and revealed to us (CCC 1814).
The NPSC Pastoral Plan Logo
The NPSC Pastoral logo is represented by symbols to reflected love, hope and faith integrated into our Rooted in Faith, Alive in Spirit logo. The virtue of Love is represented by the heart. The virtue of Hope is animated by the anchor. The virtue of Faith is represented by the cross. Each year’s theme of our pastoral plan is illuminated by the spirit of our Lord, represented by the sun with the silhouette of a person with arms outstretched. This logo reminds us that the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love must abide with each other and cannot be separated.
NPSC Pastoral Plan Themes 2023-2026
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Year 2
2024-2025
Hope
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Jubilee Holy Year - A Pilgrimage of Hope
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2023-2024 Year of Love Spiritual Activities
The following activities represent a sampling of ways in which our pastoral theme will be illuminated throughout this school year, across NPSC:
| PA Day Mass to Launch the Year of Love - August 2023 |
Our three-year pastoral plan is based upon three theological virtues: Love, Hope and Faith
The school year 2023-2024, the Year of Love, aligns with the Catholic Education Week theme for 2024: "We Are Called to Love."
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| Image for the Year of Love |
This fall, each school was invited to have students create images that depict the Year of Love for the Board. Each NSPC school community has been invited to select one entry in order to create a system artifact of a mosaic heart. Once completed, the artifact then will spend time at each school site in the 2023-2024 school year as we journey to Catholic Education Week.
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| Monthly Scripture passages |
To help us become more familiar with the Word of God. A short Scripture passage is provided for each month. This can be used for personal adult faith formation and with students, integrated across the curriculum.
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| Prayer |
A prayer has been composed that can be used for personal and classroom prayer.
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| Online Staff Resources |
Our NPSC Education Staff Portal will be enhanced with resources, lesson plans and ideas created by teachers to support the implementation of our spiritual theme of Love in their classroom with our students.
From the monthly contributions one will be chosen for a small prize.
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| NPSC Staff Book Club - "The Return of the Prodigal Son" by Henri Nouwen |
Our first staff faith formation book club has begun! We are gathering each Wednesday in November for reflection, discussion and fellowship as we deepen our faith journey together.
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| Faith Ambassadors Retreat Day |
We will have opportunities for them to better understand their role and grow in their faith.
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| Staff Retreats |
Faith formation and sharing with those wishing opportunities to grow in their relationship with God.
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Year of Love Prayer
Creator God,
St. John tells us that You are Love!
From love you made us,
and back to love we shall return.
Out of great love your Son, Jesus
accepted the cross to save us.
He teaches us that
no one has greater love than this:
to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.
During our Board Year of Love,
may our love for one another
kindle flames of faith and hope in us.
May the wisdom and grace of your Holy Spirit
inspire us to follow the Way of Jesus Christ,
and serve you in your Kingdom,
now and for ever and ever. Amen.
- Father Joseph de Viveiros, C.R
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