The Partners in Catholic Education in the Diocese of Hamilton
comprises the Diocese of Hamilton, St. Jerome’s University, together with the Brant Haldimand Norfolk, Bruce Grey, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, Halton, Hamilton Wentworth, Waterloo and Wellington Catholic District School Boards.
Formed in 2012, the partnership recognizes the fundamental role of families, the parish, and the school in educating people in the Catholic Christian faith along with the responsibility to promote Catholic education as a lifelong process.
Our faith is rooted in a relationship with God, experienced through the risen Christ and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. In order to nourish, promote, and enrich that relationship, we are called to be full members of communities that serve the Church and the world.
Members of the Partnership
Partners in Catholic Education in the Diocese of Hamilton Partnership Agreement
The Diocese of Hamilton (Diocese), St. Jerome’s University (University) together with the Brant Haldimand Norfolk, Bruce Grey, Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, Halton, Hamilton Wentworth, Waterloo, and Wellington Catholic District School Boards (Boards), hereby declare their partnership.
The fundamental role of families, the parish, and the school in educating people in the Catholic Christian faith compels us to recognize the role and responsibilities that we have to promote Catholic education as a lifelong process, from kindergarten to university, and beyond. Our faith is rooted in a relationship with God, experienced through the risen Christ and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. In order to nourish, promote, and enrich that relationship, we are called to be full members of communities that serve the Church and the world.
As partners in Catholic education, we commit ourselves to sharing human resources, facilities and programs through the Articles of the Partnership noted below. We commit to doing so by recognizing and respecting the languages and cultures of each Partner.
The Partnership began September 1, 2012, and will continue unless one of the Partners gives to the others notice in writing of its desire to dissolve the Partnership.
Articles of Partnership
In recognition of the Declaration of Partnership among the Boards, the Diocese and the University, the Partners set forward the Articles of their Partnership.
The Partners shall:
Establish a Partnership Steering Committee made up of a minimum of one member appointed by each Partner. The Partnership Steering Committee will be co-chaired by a representative from each of the Diocese, the University, and the Boards. The Committee will meet a minimum of four times a year to provide oversight for the various activities undertaken among the Partners.
Promote professional development for the staff and faculty of all Partners which would include but not be limited to courses, programmes, centres, seminars, exchanges and developing specialized offerings that meet the needs and interests of the Partners.
Explore joint opportunities for students, staff and faculty to experience service learning opportunities and voluntary service placements that embody the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Share access to, and exchange in a reciprocal way, physical facilities according to the policies and procedures of each Partner.
Provide opportunities for research that meet the needs of the Partners, subject to appropriate approval processes that respect the integrity of the participating institutions.
Cooperate in the development and enrichment of curricula that meet the distinctive needs of Catholic education.
Develop opportunities for workshops, seminars, courses, retreats, and programmes in religious education and faith development for all of the constituencies of the Partnership.
Conduct periodic needs assessments and develop strategic commitments in order to design appropriate programs to meet the needs of all Partners.
Provide opportunities for the development of Catholic leaders.
Cooperate in communicating and sponsoring activities that promote the education of students at all levels of the Catholic education system, and of adults within the broader Catholic community.
Report to the Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton, the University President, and the Directors of the Boards once per year on the commitments and activities of the Partnership.
“My mission of being in the heart of people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an ‘extra’ or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world. We have to regard ourselves as sealed, even branded, by this mission of bringing light, blessing, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing.”
— Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 273