Catholic Education

Thank you for choosing our Catholic schools for your child’s education. Our mission is to serve students in a community that nurtures a living faith and provides a quality Catholic education that enables the individual to become a contributing member of the Church and Society.

Catholic education views human life as an integration of body, mind and spirit. Rooted in this vision, Catholic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest. The expectations of Catholic graduates, therefore, are not only knowledge and skills, but also values, attitudes and actions.

There is something unique and truly special about education that has faith and spiritual growth at the heart of academic and social learning. The distinct faith-filled experiences offered to our children on their learning journey will help prepare them for a positive future. We believe in our schools as well as the benefit and gift of Catholic education — we hope you will share this belief with us.

Catholic schools have been educating students in mind, body and spirit in Ontario since before the birth of the province. Since 1841, they have provided educational excellence within a school culture imbued with the Gospel values. Publicly funded Catholic education has been the foundation for millions of students to develop their full spiritual, academic, physical and social potential. Catholic schools have made a tremendous contribution to the vitality and success of Ontario’s education system, which ranks among the best in the world.

Our Catholic schools nurture the values inherent in the Catholic faith – including responsibility, accountability, collaboration, and caring within family and community – producing not just good students but good citizens.

Catholic Graduate Expectations (link)

Pastoral Plan

History of Catholic Education in Ontario

Parish, Home and School

We believe that faith development is a gradual, lifelong and community process in partnership with the parish, home, and school.

We work closely with our parishes to support prayer, sacramentality and share God’s love with our students and their families. We are dedicated to ensure that prayer, sacramentality and Catholicity are given priority in teaching and learning. The strength of the parish-home-school relationship is an integral element of our work to foster the Catholic faith of our students.

We are proud of the positive partnerships that we nurture with the parishes of the Diocese of London and other Catholic partners. We look forward to the guidance and leadership of parents to support the celebration of sacraments and the ability of students to express their understanding of God’s love.

Our Catholic partners provide support, resources and services that help students; staff, schools and parents reach the potential as outlined in our Catholic Graduate Expectations. These expectations not only focus on knowledge and skills, but also on values, attitudes and actions.

Diocese of London: Founded in 1856, the Diocese of London and it's parishes cover most of Southwestern Ontario.

King's College University: King's emphasizes the value of each individual and the importance of social justice. Respect for the human person is behind our commitment to diversity, accessibility, social justice and to building the common good.

Sisters of St. Joseph: The Sisters of St. Joseph center their lives on relationship. They care deeply about our relationship with God and, through this relationship, have been led to the awareness that all is in God and God is in all.

Religion & Family Life Programs

Our Religious Education programs are published by the Ontario Assembly of Catholic Bishops (ACBO) and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). At the elementary level, these programs invite students to experience the mystery of their Catholic faith through prayer and participation in the Liturgy, according to the focus of each year. As students move through the program, they gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of their Catholic faith according to the year’s focus.

We invite you to view Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ for comprehensive information on our Religious and Family Life programming.

Fully Alive is a Family Life Education program sponsored by the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO). Catholic Family Life Education is closely associated with Religious Education.

Family Life Education, is intended to pass on a distinctively Catholic view of human life, sexuality, marriage, and family. Its goal is to complement the efforts of families and to support what parents are doing at home.

Blessed and Beloved will gradually be replacing Fully Alive over the coming years.

Spirit Awards

Stewards of Catholic Education Award

Each year during Catholic Education Week, we recognize a person or group with the Stewards of Catholic Education Award. Past recipients include:

2024: Catholic Women’s League (Holy Cross Family of Schools); Lilian Mulder; Mary Catherine Bishop; Phil Stone; Jaclyn Costa
2023: Colin Bennett, Sister Mary Boere, Safiyah Lawendy, Jansen Family, Colleen Hanley, Kristen Nicholson, Knights of Columbus (West Middlesex Family of Parishes)
2020, 2021, 2022: Deferred due to pandemic
2019: Recreation Program Volunteers
2018: Sisters of St. Joseph
2017: Peggy David
2016: Susan McMahon
2015: Danielle Battram
2014: Julian Paparella
2013: Mary Lynn Hamzo
2012: Ralph De Luca
2011: Bernardine Ketalaars
2010: Brittnei Berrisford
2009: Joseph Hattayer
2008: Peter Cassidy
2007: Sister Margaret Ferris
2006: Mike Circelli
2005: Bob Thibert
2004: John Callaghan

Secondary School Chaplaincy

Our Catholic secondary schools have a chaplaincy leader to serve the spiritual needs of students and staff. School chaplaincy is a work of pastoral ministry carried out within the school community.

Our chaplaincy leaders have been given the responsibility of providing spiritual care and supporting faith life for both students and staff. They spread the word of God and promote our Catholic teachings within the school setting.

Chaplaincy leaders coordinate a wide range of activities that serve to promote the spiritual development of members of the school community, including preparing and leading prayers, preparing for the observation and celebration of the special seasons and feasts in the Church’s liturgical year, maintaining a link with the local parish, fostering an awareness of social justice and encouraging students to respond, and much, much more!

Chaplaincy leaders are also available for spiritual direction and resource support. Students who experience loss due to a death, separation or divorce in their families or any other issue can find great comfort and support by turning to the school chaplain. By having a chaplaincy leader as part of the high school resource team, we are able to focus on the spiritual development of all students.

Liturgies are celebrated regularly in religion classes, in chapels, and at regularly scheduled Masses where students are encouraged to participate. Students are always invited and welcomed to spend time in quiet reflection and prayer in the chapel.

LDSCB Pastoral Plan Letter