For this year's Catholic Education Week, the Ottawa Catholic District School Board came together to celebrate Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica and hand out 36 awards for Excellence in Catholic Education. All 36 winners are listed on the school board website. We ask: Where is the excellence in Catholic education? The exercise is more to do with PR than true Catholic awards. The Board says, "This year’s theme, Pilgrims of Hope: On the Path to Holiness, focused on who we are as a community and how we move forward together." Archbishop Marcel Damphousse was present along with staff, families and colleagues. The board has even published a booklet about the winners. But where is the hope and the holy place? A more appropriate title would be "Pilgrims of Secularism." The awards claim to be about putting Catholic education in action, building the community and inspiring futures. But what does this actually mean? We're told, "The recipients reflect the very best of our system. They create …
During Catholic Education Week, the Ottawa Catholic District School Board handed out 36 “Excellence in Catholic Education” awards. Yet critics say the event reflected secular activism more than authentic Catholic identity. Many award recipients were recognized for equity and inclusion initiatives, while Ontario’s Catholic teachers’ union is currently developing 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion curriculum for all elementary grades, including kindergarten.