Happy Holidays? Happy Solstice?

I know it is Christmas time when Advent is upon us.

I know it is Christmas time when my neighbourhood is illuminated at night with a symphony of lights and decorations.

I know it is Christmas time when every other commercial on TV is marketing some product to purchase for a loved one.

I know it is Christmas time when I hear Bing Crosby singing White Christmas in shopping malls.

I know it is Christmas time when the topic of political correctness rears its ugly head:  Most notably, over the issue of what we should proclaim during this very special time as Christians.

We have always been a nation of considerate people letting everyone celebrate their special holidays as their customs and beliefs dictate without interference. That freedom has always been one of this country's greatest attractions. Why, so many are asking, is it now that those of Christian beliefs are not afforded the same freedom of Christmas expression?

So in a very bold statement....

....on behalf of our family at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

“The food you have stored away belongs to the hungry.

The unworn garment in your wardrobe belongs to the naked.

The gold you have hidden away belongs to the poor.”

(St. Basil)

My next blog will be posted January 2nd, 2011.  

"75 per cent of religious persecution is directed at Christians"

The above tag line caught my eye as I read through the Sunday edition of the Toronto Star this weekend. Here are some of the disturbing allegations in the article:

• "Terrified Christians in Iraq are still mourning the 50-plus deaths in an Oct. 31 attack against worshippers attending mass at Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad, in which a militant group called the Islamic State of Iraq sprayed the sanctuary with bullets."
• "In Uzbekistan, a Christian man has been fined the equivalent of seven years' salary for possessing a movie about Jesus."
• "The Vietnamese government has announced the continuation of a massive military operation to "wipe out" Christians in the central highlands who refuse to join the state approved church."
• "In Saudi Arabia, the only faith permitted by law is Islam. Christians are regularly imprisoned and tortured on trumped-up charges of drinking alcohol, blaspheming or owning religious artifacts."

Reading these examples and many more, I agree with the author of this article who states that persecution of Christians just doesn't compute with us in the West.  We are the faith on record in the world's richest and most powerful countries, where Christians have been ensconced for centuries.  The author goes on to cite that given our well-documented history of brutality, we are more conditioned to think that people of our faith have been the persecutors not the victims.

The reality is that two-thirds of the world's Christians live outside the West.  In fact, the average Christian is now defined as a Nigerian woman.  Sources in the article state that upwards of 200 million Christians face daily threats of murder, beating, imprisonment and torture.  Furthermore, "at least" 75 per cent of all religious persecution in the world is directed against Christians.

Why is this happening in these countries?  In short, Christianity is seen as preaching faith and a vehicle for Western imperialism and colonialism. Another reason provided in this article is that "the lack of understanding comes from lack of knowledge."  It is this religious illiteracy that is endangering lives abroad. 

As a matter of fact, I had every intention of doing this week's version of my blog on religious illiteracy but I will save this for my last entry next weekend prior to the Christmas break.

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/901492--christianity-arguably-the-most-persecuted-religion-in-the-world

Looking forward to your comments.  Just a reminder that the final exam schedule has been posted on our public site at www.ctk.ca.

Praying the Rosary

Adult Faith Formation is represented in our Board Improvement Plan and is one of our SMART Goals this year (our School Improvement Plan is posted on our website http://www.ctk.ca/). 

Our board has made a concerted effort to offer Adult Faith Formation sessions for its employees as part of our faith journey as Catholic educators.  This is a noble endeavour and one that I have promoted to our staff at CtK.

A previous blog alluded to Father James Mulligan's comments regarding the differences between a little "c" and big "C" Catholic.  The institution of the faith sessions will help many of us get closer to the latter.

As part of my faith journey, I have made a commitment to pray the Rosary on a consistent basis. My wife and I went out and each purchased a Rosary this past weekend.

Being reacquainted with how to pray the Rosary has been an educational and spiritual experience.  I had completely forgotten the Fatima and Hail Holy Queen prayers.

I am reminded of some of the promises of Mary to those who pray the Rosary.  Primarily, the recitation of the Rosary is a sublime way to affirm the sacraments of our faith.

Thanks for reading.  Looking forward to your comments.

Facebook.....I have three friends!

Well I did it!  I have entered the vast world of Facebook. 

Why?  In short, to keep tabs on my two oldest daughters.  I had concerns but have reluctantly allowed them access to a world that could cause more harm than benefit if not cautious.  As a prudent parent, I did my best to make sure they were informed as they entered this digital arena.

So....my daughters have been to facebook presentations held at our school over the last few years. Chris Vollum, who has seen his business boom in the area of safeguarding students on facebook and twitter, has presented at our school and many other secondary and elementary schools around the province.

Chris has taught our students and staff how to set their privacy settings to protect themselves from unwanted scrutiny. 

As I have alluded in a previous blog about 21st Century Learning Skills, it is important that our children embrace social networks such as facebook to foster their digital literacy which, whether the Baby Boom and Generation X demographics would like to admit, will be an essential skill in the 21st century economy.

Through education, trust....and parenting....we need to allow them access to such conduits and hope that they make good choices.  Shutting them out will only force them to go online around our backs on school library computers, iPads and other digital technology.

Who is the third friend?  My wife, of course.

Thanks for reading.  We have created a new Parent Engagement link on our public website.  Take a look and let me know what you think.  It is a work in progress.  www.ctk.ca

In Defense of Catholic Schools

As a result of my current course work, I have been asked to develop responses to several arguments against Catholic schools.  Leading up to the Ontario provincial election in October 2007, some of the arguments against Catholic schools were:

Injustice
Historical anomaly
Cost
Discriminatory
The UN ruling
The separation of Church and State

As I ponder these comments, my other readings, my faith, and my role as a Catholic Principal, there is not a doubt in my mind and heart that Catholic schools are still very relevant in Ontario in the 21st century.

As I frame my responses, I am struck by an article by Father James T. Mulligan.  His comments allude to three large but critically important contextual considerations and challenges which affect every Catholic school board in Ontario and consequently every Catholic school principal.

Context # 1 - Paradigm Shift

According to Father Mulligan, a major shift has taken place in the way a significant segment of the non-Catholic Ontario public now perceives the privilege of Catholic education.  We must demonstrate clearly and effectively how our Catholic schools contribute richly to the intellectual, social, cultural and ethical life of the province of Ontario.

Context #2 - Economic and Social Brokenness

In the face of poverty and a so-called jobless recovery, Catholic schools are challenged, in collaboration with their staffs, to make the ideal of a preferential option for the poor a reality in each school. 

Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI have lamented about moral relativism and excessive individualism.  Father Mulligan states that we need to help our students, in age appropriate ways, to recognize these moral vacuums and then present to them the gospel alternative.

Context #3 - A Fragile Church

The clergy abuse that has surfaced over the last 25 years and more recently highlighted in the churches of Antigonish, Ireland and Cornwall has wounded the credibility of the church.  This does not help our work and ministry as Catholic educators.

Father Mulligan alludes to the tension between the small "c" Catholics and large "C" Catholics.  The latter participate in the Sunday Eucharist and the sacramental life of the church and try to live out the Gospel.  The former are baptized but are loosely affiliated with the Eucharist and participation in the life and teaching of the church.  Our challenge is for everyone affiliated with Catholic schools (students, parents, teachers and administrators) to make it our mission to achieve a critical mass of large "C" Catholic educators.

Any comments or views you would like to share would be appreciated.  Please remember that mid-term reports will be distributed this Friday, November 19th to your children.

Holiness in the Man Van

My affinity for our mini-van and the fact that it is the 2010 NHL Edition prompted my wife to call it the "Man Van."  I do love it for many reasons:  Specifically, the smooth ride, the myriad of storage and cup holders, as well as an outlet for my Ipod. 

Well, I can add one more reason as of Saturday, November 6, 2010 from approximately 7:40 am to 7:43 am.  My passenger during this time was none other than Father Frank Morrisey OMI.   He was ordained as an Oblate priest in 1961.  In addition, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law, University of St. Paul, in Ottawa, Ontario,  the Executive Coordinator Canadian Canon Law Society and the Consultor for the Pontifical Council for the interpretation of legislative texts to cite a few of his accomplishments.  Today he still enjoys worldwide repute in the field of Canon Law and has been known to offer canonical assistance to dioceses rocked by the sexual abuse scandals. 

Why was he in my van you ask?  He was to present at a course of which I am enrolled.  I got to class early and noticed him in front of the building not knowing that he could not get in through that particular entrance.  I passed him by to the other side and was not really sure who he was at first.  I turned the van around to ask who he was and offered to take him to the appropriate entrance.  He accepted my invitation and introduced himself as Frank.  For a brief three minutes I had the most holy person that I have ever met in my van. 

His presentation revolved around the differentiation between "catholic work" and "the work of Catholics."  He broke down the analysis into legality, values and commitment using canon law.  Have you ever been to a presentation where you could literally sit there and listen all day?  This was one of them.  I was in awe of his presence, knowledge, reverence and common sense.  He cited that the canons are essentially a compromise for over 1 billion Roman Catholics and that "law follows life .....life doesn't follow the law."

A classmate asked him what type of students we should be preparing for post-secondary life.  He cited that they should be individuals who promote faith, justice, peace, integrity of life, critical thinking and care for our ecological resources.

He left us with one thought to ponder.  Do we have public schools that are Catholic or Catholic schools for the public in Ontario?

Looking forward to your thoughts and comments. This Friday, November 12th is a P.A. Day. 

205 Words

How would you capture your life in 205 words?

This weekend's CBS Sunday Morning Show had a segment on obituaries and the people that write them for newspapers.  There was an emotional piece on 9/11 and the obits that the NY Times staff wrote for the few thousand people that died in the Twin Towers that horrifying day. 

The writers that chronicle death for the Times only have a precious 205 words to articulate the life of these people in the newspaper.  One would presume due to economic and space limitations.

Could it be Halloween that provoked me to choose this topic for my blog this week?

Could it be the recent 73rd birthday of my father?

Could it be my impending birthday which brings me one year closer to middle age?

Do you think about your mortality?  How often do you think of the faith, hope and love that you have given, shared and received in your life?

Do you struggle at times to discern if your career defines you more than what you have done for and with your family and friends?

My response is yes to all of the above.  How about you?

I will leave you with scripture from 1 Corinthians 13.


If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Thank you for reading.  Looking forward to your comments.  Our "Parenting and Technology" session is this Tuesday at 10 am at CtK.  Please check-in at the main office.  All parents are welcome.