Our Language, Our Story

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Our Language, Our Story
Character Development Through the Virtues A
Resource for Ontario Catholic Schools
A Project of the Eastern Ontario Catholic
Curriculum Cooperative In Cooperation with the
Ontario Ministry of Education June, 2009
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Our Language, Our Story
Overview of Presentation
I. Why This Resource?II. Finding
Common GroundIII. Ontarios Catholic
BishopsIV. Our Language, Our StoryV.
Exploring Our Language, Our Story
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I. Why This Resource?
The Call for Character Development programs in
Ontarios publicly funded elementary and
secondary schools.
Challenged us to draw on our deepest
values - which shape the character of all
who teach and learn in our Catholic
schools. - rooted in the language of
Scripture and Tradition, the language of
OUR STORY.
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I. Why This Resource?
The language of our story points to Jesus Christ,
the Word made flesh origin and fulfillment of
our sacred story.
All we say and do in Catholic schools is a means
for supporting our students pilgrimage to
fullness of life in Him.
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I. Why This Resource?
The Virtues Points of reference from our story
-
Theological VirtuesFaith, Hope, Love Cardinal
Virtues Prudence, Justice, Temperance and
Fortitude touchstones for this documents
contents.
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II. Finding Common Ground
Character Education Fall 2006
Formally mandated by Ontarios Ministry of
Education
Release of discussion paper, Finding
CommonGround Character Development in
OntarioSchools, K-12 through Literacy and
Numeracy Secretariat
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II. Finding Common Ground
Finding Common Ground (2006) - Calls for
character education programs based on shared
values transcending diversities such as ethnicity
and creed (hence the title, Finding Common Ground
).

• Boards and their communities called
• to identify universal character
  attributes to infuse these into every
  subject area, school activity.

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II. Finding Common Ground
Character Development Finding Common Ground, 2008
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II. Finding Common Ground
Two key goals

• improve student learning in cognitive,
  affective, attitudinal and behavioural domains

• prepare young people for civic engagement,
  global citizenship in an increasingly
  interdependent world

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II. Finding Common GroundCatholic Educational
CommunitysInitial Response
Mixed Reactions
What weve always done Catholic schools have
always been about intentionally building
character
in every subject area and school activity
in Religious Education, Family Life,
Sacramental Preparation, Retreats, Community
Outreach Initiatives, Athletic Programs, and
much more.
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1. Finding Common Ground Catholic Educational
   CommunitysEvolving Response

Lets Embrace this Initiative - to underscore
our schools distinctive Catholic character
Lets Showcase our Successes - in ways that
resonate with Finding Common Ground in language
of our story
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II. Finding Common GroundCatholic Educational
Communitys Ongoing Response
Resource DevelopmentCatholic school boards begin
developing, sharing creative resources. (To
them we are all grateful!)
Resources incorporating - Gifts of the Holy
Spirit - Fruits of the Holy Spirit, -
Cultivating biblical and related virtues
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III. Ontarios Catholic Bishops
Character Development and the Virtuous Life A
Position Paper Fall, 2008 A formal response
to Finding Common Ground.
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III. Ontarios Catholic BishopsCharacter
Development and the Virtuous Life
Clear Direction - for producing Catholic
character development resources to Catholic
school boards, professional associations
Reminder - the virtuous life already at the
heart of our language and story
New Return - to language of virtues- to
distinguished, time-tested standing of
virtues in our Catholic Tradition
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III. Ontarios Catholic BishopsCharacter
Development and the Virtuous Life
Character something that is constructed,
something I choose more or less deliberately.
(P. 2.) Vs.
Personality something more permanent, who I am.

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III. Ontarios Catholic BishopsCharacter
Development and the Virtuous Life Virtue
Education as Character Education
Character - how I respond to lifes
challenges, blessings or interact with others
- has a definite moral aspect
Personality - more ethically neutral
Applying the best of our faith heritage can help
us become who God has called us to be, persons
of virtue.
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III. Ontarios Catholic BishopsCharacter
Development and the Virtuous Life
The Virtues Our Link to Character Development
Because virtue is a concept central to
Catholic moral doctrine, it is key in linking
the Character Development Initiative to the
Catholic school education project. (Character
Development and the Virtuous Life, p. 5)
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III. Ontarios Catholic BishopsCharacter
Development and the Virtuous Life
The Virtues Our Link to Character Development
Language of Virtues - associated with character
formation since time of Plato and Aristotle.
- important part of Christian education, from
fourth century onward

• integral to Western civilizations foundational
  values

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III. Ontarios Catholic Bishops
The Bishops are saying to us
You are already doing this.
The virtues are YOUR language and story.
Reclaim them in your practice.
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III. Ontarios Catholic Bishops This Opportunity
A Gift Embrace it, Re-tell Our Story
Call for character development in Ontario
schools A gift to Catholic education
an opportunity for us to re-tell our story as a
people of faith
Potential to help strengthen staff and students
as followers of Christ
and bring new vitality into our province-wide
system
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III. Ontarios Catholic Bishops This
Opportunity A Gift Embrace it, Re-tell Our Story
Re-telling our story through the virtues
- allows us to proclaim our distinctiveness and
importance to society
- crucial in time of questioning importance of
multiple publicly-funded education systems
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Character
Development Through the Virtues in Ontario
Catholic Schools
A Response to Finding Common Ground
Made possible through Funding from Ministry of
Education Leadership by the Eastern Ontario
Catholic Curriculum Cooperative.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story
Practical Tools Strategies
- for integrating theological cardinal virtues
into culture of our Catholic schools
For Educators and Administrators
- to help foster Catholic character
development across the broad curriculum
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Character
Development Through The Virtues
What Are The Virtues?
- good practices, which over time, become
part of our character
Practicing the Virtues
- tempers our personalities, enables us to live
and work peacefully with one another
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Character
Development Through The Virtues
Why Education Through the Virtues?
to help Catholic educators fulfill mission to
teach in light of the Catholic faith
to strengthen distinctiveCatholic character of
students, school communities
to help our young people grow as followers of
Jesus and bring the transforming witness of His
Gospel to the world
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Faith, Hope,
Love Gods gift to us at Baptism.
As we practice these virtues - they become more
prominent in our lives - they guide our
character as it develops over a lifetime of
discipleship.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Faith - A new
way of seeing, a shared way of believing. 
The language of our story speaks of Faith    
- Gods gift to us at Baptism
- Christian faith transforms our minds with
Gods self-understanding
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Faith - A new
way of seeing, a shared way of believing. 
Gives us a new way  
       
- of seeing God, ourselves, everything around us
- of believing what Christ has taught us in the
Gospels, handed on to us through His Church
The faith we share through Baptism into Christs
body (the Church), leads us to believe, pray and
worship. 
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues

A. The Three Theological Virtues Faith - A new
way of seeing, a shared way of believing. 
Witnessed in love of God, in love of neighbour -
made in Gods image. 
Visible in our Catholic schools whenever there is
trust in God, belief, prayer, worship and the
witness of love.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Hope
Trusting Gods promises in prayer and work for
justice.
The language of our story speaks of hope. 
Christian Hope - Gods gift at Baptism (unites
us with risen Christ).   
- desire for the happiness of the Kingdom and
eternal life
- makes us able to trust to trust Gods promises,
no matter what the obstacles
- keeps us from despair and presumption
- expressed principally in prayer
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Hope
Trusting Gods promises in prayer and work for
justice.
Hopeful people
- live the Gospel with joy
- work for peace and justice despite many
obstacles
 
- trust Gods plan will be fulfilled, even if not
in their lifetime
Visible in our Catholic schools whenever we find
prayer, trust in Gods faithfulness, and work for
peace and justice.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Love -
Loving God above all things, others as God loves
them.
The language of our story speaks of love.   
Gods gift to us at Baptism Enables us  - to
love God above all things- to love others as God
loves them. 
Great insight of St. Thérèse we have been
made by love for love.  Gift of love directs
and gives strength to our life of virtue. 
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Love -
Loving God above all things, others as God loves
them.
Our model of love is Jesus, who laid down His
life so that we might have life to the full
(John. 10 10). 
Our encounters with Jesus in His Gospel and the
sacraments nurture us so that we can love as He
has loved us. 
Visible in our Catholic schools wherever the
kindness, service and self-giving of Jesus are
found.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues
PrudenceJustice Temperance FortitudePractices
on which all other virtues hinge (cardinal -
hinge in Latin).
These practices are learned and developed over
time.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Prudence
Seeking, judging, acting with confidence
and love
Prudence (good sense) the watchful eye of love. 
Three steps   

• seeking the proper, most loving thing to do

• judging what is the best choice

• confidently acting.

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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Prudence
Seeking, judging, acting with confidence
and love
What is the right, most loving thing to do? 
1. Considering others advice, looking to
the Gospel, Church teaching to guide conscience. 
2. Praying and thinking things through.

3. Confidently acting in truth and love. 
In this way, practicing prudence unites us more
closely with God and neighbour. 
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Prudence
Seeking, judging, acting with confidence
and love
Visible in our Catholic schools when we reflect
as Jesus disciples and act in His love.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal VirtuesJustice Seeking
the good, meeting obligations to God
and neighbour
The language of our story speaks about justice
... 
- seeking what is good in every situation 
- living in right relationship with God and
neighbour
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal VirtuesJustice Seeking
the good, meeting obligations to God
and neighbour
Fulfilling ones obligations - to God in prayer
and worship, - to neighbour in mercy and
fairness. 
Visible in our Catholic schools whenever we see
people striving to meet their obligations to God
and neighbour. 
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Temperance
Enjoying lifes pleasures in keeping
with the Gospel
A temperate person practices staying away from
excesses.  She or he strives to practice
- moderation in eating and drinking
- self-control in emotional expression
- balance in living responsibly
- forming chaste, healthy friendships
- honesty about who they are (humility)
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Temperance
Enjoying lifes pleasures in keeping
with the Gospel
Practicing temperance frees us from slavery to
unhealthy habits so that we can live a fully
human life as God intended for us in Christ.
Visible in our Catholic schoolswhenever
moderation, chastity, balance, self-control and
humble attitudes are practiced.
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Fortitude
Practicing the good and just in challenging
situations patience with
obstacles.
The language of our story speaks about fortitude. 
- practicing what is good and just when it is
difficult or even dangerous. 
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IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring
the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Fortitude
Practicing the good and just in challenging
situations patience with
obstacles.
A person of fortitude practices patience when
meeting obstacles while working to do what is
right, even when others criticize or remain
silent. 
Visible in our Catholic schools whenever we see
persons defending truth and kindness in
challenging situations.
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V. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the
Resource
Web-based, six main sections
Virtues and Themes - points of reference
for this resource
Curriculum Connections - curriculum
expectations linked to virtues themes
Staff Development - prayers/activities
linked to virtues themes
Additional Resources - curriculum resources
linked to virtues themes
School Activities - prayers/activities
linked to virtues themes
Community Outreach - school outreach linked
to virtues themes
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V. Exploring Our Language, Our Story
Available from two sources
Via the internet at www.eoccc.org
On CD ROM
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V. Exploring Our Language, Our Story
Lets go take a look . www.eoccc.org
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I pray God's blessing upon all those involved in
this project and hope that this resource will
indeed help our students grow in a Spirit-filled
life in which the Gospel truly shines forth.
Paul-André Durocher Bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall
Education Commission Chair, Assembly of Catholic
Bishops of Ontario (Our Language, Our Story,
Introduction)
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