1. Christ Pantocrator (i.e. “Almighty” or “All Powerful” - 20th c. icon

2. Our Language, Our Story
Character Development Through the Virtues A Resource for Ontario Catholic Schools
This has been a resource created by teachers, for teachers. The EOCCC is pleased to make it available to all Catholic educators.
A Project of the Eastern Ontario Catholic Curriculum Cooperative
In Cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of Education
June 2009

3. This present resource continues a tradition of excellence as the EOCCC seeks to develop material that incorporates the Catholic perspective across the curriculum. By focusing the “Character Development Initiative” on the acquisition of the theological and cardinal virtues, this resource builds on and enriches the moral teaching of the Church.
In the preface to the resource, chair of the Education Commission of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario, The Most Reverend Paul-Andre Durocher has written …

4. in which the Gospel truly shines forth.
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)

5. Our Language, Our Story Overview of Presentation
Introduction I. Why This Resource? II. Finding Common Ground III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops IV. Our Language, Our Story – Exploring the Seven Virtues V. Our Language, Our Story – Exploring the Resource
Depending on the time available at an in-service, you may wish to consider which of the 5 sections are the most relevant to your audience and adjust the presentation accordingly. Ensure that you have left enough time for Section 5, OLOS – Exploring the Resource.

6. I. Why This Resource? The Call for Character Development
programs in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools have ...
challenged us to draw on our deepest values which
shape the character of all who teach and learn in our Catholic schools and …
… are rooted in the language of Scripture and Tradition, the language of OUR STORY.

7. 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.
It is worth noting that all of the images of the virtues appearing in this PowerPoint are available from OLOS.

8. I. Why This Resource?
The Virtues: Points of reference from our story -
Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, Love
Cardinal Virtues:
Justice, Prudence, Temperance and Fortitude
… touchstones for this resource’s contents.

9. II. Finding Common Ground
Character Education
Fall 2006:
Formally mandated by Ontario’s Ministry of Education
- Release of discussion paper, Finding Common Ground: Character Development in Ontario Schools, K-12 through Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat and revised June 2008

10. II. Finding Common Ground
- 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 are called
… to identify universal character attributes
… to infuse these into every subject area, school activity.

11. II. Finding Common Ground
Character Development
Finding Common Ground, 2008

12. 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

13. II. Finding Common Ground: Catholic Educational Community’s Initial Response
Mixed Reactions:
Isn’t this what we’ve 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.

14. Catholic Educational Community’s Evolving Response
Finding Common Ground
Catholic Educational Community’s Evolving Response
Let’s embrace this initiative …
… and underscore our schools’ distinctive Catholic character.
Let’s showcase our successes …
… in ways that resonate with Finding Common Ground using the language of our story

15. II. Finding Common Ground Catholic Educational Community’s Ongoing Response
Resource Development Catholic school boards across Ontario have been developing and sharing creative resources.
To them we are all grateful!
These resources have incorporated …
Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Fruits of the Holy Spirit, - Cultivating biblical and related virtues
Practical strategies and tools

16. III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops Character Development and the
Virtuous Life: A Position Paper Fall 2008: A formal response to Finding Common Ground.
This important statement by the Ontario Bishops has served to shape our collective efforts and is available from their web site.

17. III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops Character Development and the Virtuous Life
Clear Direction … for producing Catholic character development resources to Catholic school boards and professional associations.
Reminder … that the virtuous life is already at the heart of our language and story.
New Return … to the language of the virtues; to the distinguished, time-tested standing of the virtues in our Catholic Tradition.

18. III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops Character Development and the Virtuous Life
Character : “something that is constructed, something I choose more or less deliberately.” (Character Development and the Virtuous Life, p. 2)
vs.
Personality : something more permanent; who I am.

19. Virtue Education as Character Education
III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops Character Development and the Virtuous Life
Virtue Education as Character Education
Character : - how I respond to life’s 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.

20. III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops Character 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)

21. III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops Character 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 civilization’s foundational values

22. III. Ontario’s 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.

23. III. Ontario’s Catholic Bishops
This opportunity is a gift … embrace it; re-tell Our Story
The 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.
It has the potential to help strengthen staff and students as followers of Christ; to bring new vitality into our province-wide system.

24. III. Ontario’s 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
- especially crucial during this time of questioning the importance of multiple publicly-funded education systems

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. IV. Our Language, Our Story Character Development Through The Virtues
Why Education Through the Virtues?
– to help Catholic educators fulfill their mission to teach in light of the Catholic faith
– to strengthen distinctive Catholic 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

29. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues Faith, Hope, Love:
God’s 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.

30. 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 :   
- God’s gift to us at Baptism - Christian faith transforms our minds with God’s self-understanding.   

31. 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 Christ’s body (the Church), leads us to believe, pray and worship. 

32. 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 God’s image. 
Visible in our Catholic schools whenever there is trust in God, belief, prayer, worship and the witness of love.

33. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues
Hope – Trusting God’s promises in prayer and work for justice.
The language of our story speaks of hope. 
Christian Hope: - God’s 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 God’s promises, no matter what the obstacles.  - keeps us from despair and presumption
- expressed principally in prayer.

34. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
A. The Three Theological Virtues
Hope – Trusting God’s promises in prayer and work for justice.
Hopeful people … - live the Gospel with joy - work for peace and justice despite many obstacles  - trust God’s plan will be fulfilled, even if not in their lifetime
Visible in our Catholic schools whenever we find prayer, trust in God’s faithfulness, and work for peace and justice.

35. 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.   
God’s 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. 

36. 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.

37. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues
Prudence Temperance Justice Fortitude Practices on which all other virtues hinge (cardinal - hinge in Latin).
These practices are learned and developed over time.

38. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Justice – 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 

39. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues Justice – Seeking the good, meeting obligations to God and neighbour
Fulfilling one’s 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. 

40. 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.

41. 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?”  Considering others’ advice … looking to the Gospel, Church teaching to inform and 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. 

42. 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.

43. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues
Temperance – Enjoying life’s 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)

44. IV. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Seven Virtues
B. The Four Cardinal Virtues
Temperance – Enjoying life’s 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 schools whenever moderation, chastity, balance, self-control and humble attitudes are practiced.

45. 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. 
This involves practicing what is good and just when it is difficult or even dangerous. 

46. 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.

47. 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

48. V. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Resource
Accessible in 2 Formats:
Via the internet at
and from the EOCCC Home page at
On CD ROM for PC

49. V. Our Language, Our Story Exploring the Resource
Time to go take a look ….