Easter in Our Catholic Schools

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER EASTER MURALS

The first Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectation indicates that students, "should grow to be discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith community who illustrate a basic understanding of the saving story of our Christian faith."  The murals below, creaed by visual art students in Mr. Ketcheson`s class at St. Francis Xavier High School, are clear and poignant demonstrations of how this expectation is being met in our Catholic Schools. 



These original depictions of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ will be on display in the school`s atrium throughout  the Easter Season.

 CELEBRATION OF EASTER MASS

The second Catholic School Graduate Expectation related to becoming a discerning believer is 

"participation in the sacramental life of the church and demonstration of an understanding of the centrality of the Eucharist to our Catholic story."  With this goal in mind, St. Francis Xavier High School held, on April 3, an Easter Eucharistic celebration.  Ottawa Catholic School Board Chaplain Father Peter Saunders presided.

Easter Mass at St. Francis Xavier High School

Although my hectic schedule did not allow me to attend this school mass, I was able to hear, at a later mass, the thought-provoking Easter homily that Father Saunders delivered to the St. Francis Xavier students.  He began by asking them all,  "Àre you a Roman soldier?"  No doubt the students were perplexed at this question.  He then singled out students and repeated, `"Are you a Roman soldier?"  Of course, each replied, "No."

Fr. Saunders asks SFX students, "Are you Roman soldiers?"

Father Saunders explained that the Roman soldiers who put Jesus on the cross to die an agonizing and humiliating death, were "death dealers".  In their ignorance, they tried to destroy the One who is the giver of all life.  Having made this point, he then cautioned the students that "when you bully other students, you are Roman soldiers - you are death dealers, not life givers, because you destroy the spirit of others."  Likewise, he noted that when they disrespect their teachers or misbehave in other ways, they are also Roman soldiers.  His Easter Season challenge to the students was to, instead, "be life-givers" by being kind to one another and following the example of Jesus.

A KINDERGARTEN STUDENT'S VIEW ON EASTER

  

Sometimes, we who devote our lives to Catholic education may wonder just how effective we have been in fulfilling our mission of bringing children to Christ.  As well, ocassionally, parents may have questions about the impact that Catholic schools have on their children.

And then there is the reassurance that comes when we put our adult cynicism aside, and instead, listen to the testimonials of our children. 

My prayer during this Easter Season is that everyone who values Catholic education is inspired by this simple Easter message from a kindergarten student at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton: