A COVENANT FOR RESPONSIBLE MINISTRY:

“The time is coming," declares the LORD,
       "when I will make a new covenant
       with the house of Israel
       and with the house of Judah.

"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel"

declares the LORD.
       "I will put my law in their minds
       and write it on their hearts.
       I will be their God,
       and they will be my people.”

Jeremiah 31:31-33

In the fall of 1987, secondary school chaplains from across the province gathered together as a group for the first time in Waterdown, Ontario. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the formation of a professional association for school chaplains. The fruits of those deliberations were realized the next school year when the first ever school chaplains' conference was held in Niagara Falls in January of 1989. At the conference, CSCO was established and the first executive was elected. In Biblical language, the formation of CSCO could be seen as a covenant relationship between school chaplains. Through their membership in the association, they pledge to work collegially in order to enhance their ministry to their school communities.

Since those early days, CSCO has developed into the face of school chaplaincy in the province of Ontario. It has become a resource for school chaplains, particularly through its annual conference. CSCO has advocated on behalf of school chaplaincy with the other partners in Catholic education. It has also produced several documents, such as pastoral guidelines, outlining the role of school chaplaincy, and describing its worth to Catholic education.

Who We Are

Pastoral Letter on Catholic Secondary School Chaplaincy

 Introduction

The Catholic Bishops of Ontario have always been aware of the fundamental importance of chaplaincy services within our Catholic schools.

In November 1985, the OCCB’s Ad hoc Committee for Completion [of publicly-funded Catholic secondary schools] published a letter on “Pastoral Care Ministry in a Catholic Secondary School.” This five-page document outlined a series of suggestions concerning the establishment and development of chaplaincy services as full-funding became a reality for our Catholic secondary schools.

In 1993, the OCCB published “La pastorale scolaire: fondements, orientations et considérations pour les écoles catholiques de langue française de l’Ontario.” This document became the foundational reference for French-language Catholic schools in the province.

In 1996, the Education Commission of the OCCB approved for distribution a text prepared by the Catholic School Chaplains of Ontario entitled “Guidelines for School Chaplaincy in Ontario,” which became a foundational reference for English-language Catholic schools in the province.

Today, the Education Commission of the OCCB wants to reiterate its support for all those involved in chaplaincy in our Catholic schools. We invite all leaders and supporters of Catholic education to recognize and celebrate their presence, service and contribution to the mission of our schools.

The 1985 Letter tried to define secondary school chaplaincy by describing its purpose or goal:

 These definitions converge on the four following points:

1. that secondary school chaplaincy is exercised for the whole school community, students and staff;
2. that it seeks an increase in the Christian faith-life of all;
3. that it is ecclesial in its nature and its goal;
4. that it is shaped by the educational setting in which it is carried out.

Taking these four points, we can further develop our understanding of chaplaincy in the context of our Catholic schools, and determine considerations both for chaplaincy leaders and for school leaders that will continue to sustain this essential ministry.

OCCB Document on Chaplaincy (pdf file)

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