Catholic students gather to celebrate mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory

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On September 10th, children from Kindergarten to grade 11, from Augustin Roscelli and Marie-Clarac schools, together with youth from Loyola High School and The Sacred Heart School of Montreal, attended a special mass celebrated by Most Reverend Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montreal. Organized by the principals representing each school, the one-hour inaugural gathering was an encounter of fellowship and faith for the schools and reinforced the shared mission of Catholic education.

Students actively participated in the bilingual liturgy, through contributions of their artwork, music, song and dance. Others volunteered through hospitality, as ushers and greeters, and during the mass as lectors and altar servers. Representatives of the various religious institutions which founded these schools were present as well, including the Jesuits of Loyola and Les Soeurs de Charité de Sainte-Marie of Marie-Clarac.

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The event is one result of a 2017 request made to the diocese by several Catholic schools in their search for mutual support and ways to build a network to reinforce their common mission of Catholic education. The diocese organized a round table in response. Since then, the network has grown, and Catholic school principals and educators representing up to a dozen local institutions, both French and English, have been meeting regularly with the collaboration of the Diocesan Centre for Marriage, Life and Family and the Office for Faith Education.

Areas of concern discussed to date include the integral spiritual formation of their students, professional development, recruitment of both teachers and students, and the transition towards lay-led schools following the waning presence of religious communities who founded and served these schools from their inception.

It is the team’s hope that the inaugural mass will serve as a first of many and that interest from more schools to take part will grow in the coming year.

The theme chosen for this special mass, “Called by Name”, focused on the unique call and God-given talents of each student. The theme was drawn from the Gospel reading that recounts Christ’s invitation to his first disciples. In his homily, the Archbishop stressed the personal love of God for each student and their call to follow Him, echoing Pope Francis’ message to young people everywhere in his recent exhortation, “Christus Vivit! Christ is Alive!”, published in March 2019 following the October Synod of Bishops on young people, faith and vocational discernment.

“Dear students, I am extremely happy to be here among you today and to see this sacred space completely filled with young people!…The world needs you, and what you will be tomorrow begins today!”, Archbishop Lépine told the attentive students.  “Your Catholic schools exist to train you in the truth of faith, beauty, sincerity, kindness and peace so that you will grow up knowing Jesus Christ.  In this sense, your families, your schools and the faith work together for your own growth”, he said.

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