Catholic Education Week – 3rd to 9th February 2013
‘Opening hearts and minds to God’ is a theme which is linked directly to the Year of Faith and to the Apostolic Letter ‘Porta Fidei’. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the positive impact of faith as an emotional, intellectual and spiritual force. It counters any notion of education in faith being about ‘closed’ minds. It calls for us to be open to God’s gift of faith and to help others to be open to God’s invitation to faith. It also calls for parents, teachers, catechists and clergy to be “credible witnesses” to faith in their word and actions so that others can be helped to believe.
Working with Parishes: Schools are encouraged to make early contact with local parishes so that suitable arrangements are made to celebrate Education Sunday with appropriate involvement of young people in Sunday Masses. It is hoped that early communication and joint planning will help to ensure that parents and parishioners can be engaged in supporting children and young people in reflecting on this year’s theme beyond Catholic Education Week itself, throughout the Year of Faith which extends to October 2013.
Resources: Various resources have been developed, thanks to the help of a small working group of colleagues who have met on a number of occasions to plan appropriate learning activities. Broadly, our approach is to suggest a range of activities which will focus on helping pupils to explore how they understand the Nicene Creed. Teachers will be able to select those activities which are best suited to the age and stage of their pupils. Click here for more details of the resources which have been prepared for sachools and parishes.
Printed Resources | Details |
Poster | showing theme of Catholic Education Week |
Liturgy Resource | reflection on Scripture for Education Sunday |
SCES News | Year of Faith special feature |
Creed Prayer Cards | separate card for Primary and Secondary pupils, displaying words of Nicene Creed |
Web Resources | Details |
Primary learning | range of activities designed to support exploration of the Nicene Creed |
Secondary Learning | range of activities designed to support exploration of the Nicene Creed |
Assembly resource | linked to ‘The Door of Faith’ theme of the Year of Faith |
Prayers | suggested intercessory prayers for use at Mass on Education Sunday |
Speaker Notes | notes for a school speaker at Education Sunday Masses |
Parent Resource | advice for parents on engaging children in prayer |
Children’s Liturgy | prayers & activities for use in parish and/or at home |
Newsletter template | relevant content which can be inserted into school newsletters or used as complete |