Catholic Schools: Celebrating the Work of our Local Catholic Schools
Catholic Schools Week 2019 will run from 27 January to 3 February on the theme ‘Catholic Schools: Celebrating the Work of Our Local Catholic Schools’. During Catholic Schools Week 2019 we invite each of our Catholic school families to participate in a week of celebration and reflection. The Catholic Schools Week Steering Committee has made a series of resources available, each with its own unique daily theme.
Introduction to the 2019 theme and resources
As Irish society changes, it is important that we reflect on the unique contribution of Catholic schools to our collective goal of education. Each Catholic school shares an ethos that is inclusive, welcoming and vibrant. Each school works towards a vision of each student as made in the likeness and image of God. This means that we work towards helping each child, irrespective of background, ethnicity or creed, reach their full potential academically, spiritually and socially. To be in the likeness and image of God means that we have the capacity to truly care for ourselves, each other and the environment around us.
While each Catholic school shares this profound commitment to this vision, every school does this differently. Each school is influenced by the community it serves; be it large urban schools, small rural schools, schools with a wide variety
of ethnicities and every school in between. For this reason, every Catholic school works in a unique and distinctive manner in educating each child to holistically develop their talent, skills and potential.
Saint Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians; ‘For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.’ Each Catholic school is a vital member of the one community which is called to work towards the Kingdom of God. Each Catholic school contributes to this mission in a unique way. This year, celebrate the unique contribution and work of your own Catholic school.
As in previous years, the daily themes contain resources for the following class groupings: Junior and Senior Infants/Primary 1 and 2; First and Second Class/Primary 3 and 4; Third and Fourth Class/Primary 5 and 6; and Fifth and Sixth Class/Primary 7.
The daily themes are as follows:
- Monday: Living Tradition
- Tuesday: Welcoming Diversity
- Wednesday: Grandparents Day
- Thursday: In Service of our Community
- Friday: Supporting Faith
The relevant strands and strand units of the Catholic Pre-School and Primary Religious Education Curriculum for Ireland (2015) are also listed for each class grouping at the beginning of the lesson plans.
Grandparents Day
On Wednesday we celebrate Grandparents’ Day. On that day we offer some suggestions for class activities. A prayer service, for use in the school or classroom, is also available, as well as suggestions for parish celebrations. All resources are available to download online at: www.catholicschools.ie.
For more information please visit : https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2019/01/08/resources-for-catholic-schools-week-2019/